BECKELY -
A mother and stepfather are in jail, charged with the death of a toddler. James Green, faces murder charges and Brandy Smallwood is charged with neglect resulting in death.
What could lead to this, shaking a baby to death? A preliminary investigation conducted by the State Police says this is what might have killed a 2-year old Raleigh County toddler over the weekend.
"It is easy to put blinders on and think it doesn't happen. It is a whole different story to put a baby in your arms its very realistic," Margaret O'Neal, United Way Executive Dir. said.
The folks with the United Way know this is a problem, so they invested in an educational tool to help prevent shaken baby death. After pressing the on switch the baby doll begins cry, users are instructed to shaken the baby until the red lights flash inside of the skull, letting the user know where and what the damage is.
"About an average about a 6 to 8 violent shaking can cause death to this baby," O'Neal explained.
It takes a lot for a baby to die from shaken baby syndrome. For instance bouncing a baby on your knee won't cause it, throwing the baby up in the air doesn't, it's a violent shacking back and forth that will kill a child.
"The frontal lobe is usually the last and most violent shaking. A person who is in that situation that, the baby probably went from crying and not crying probably unresponsive before the end of the shacking occurs," O'Neal said.
And all it takes is just one violent shake to end your child's life.
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