SBS: Connecticutt: Joshua Murray charged

 03/15/2011  Karen Florin

A Colchester man accused in a shaken baby abuse case made his first appearance Monday in the New London Superior Court where major crimes are tried.
Joshua A. Murray, 22, of 57 White Oak Drive is free on a $100,000 bond while his case is pending. He is accused of bouncing the 2-month-old son of his girlfriend against his chest several times, causing brain injuries. The baby, who is now in custody of his maternal grandmother, may suffer long-term effects from the abuse, according to a court document.
State police were called to The William W. Backus Hospital on Jan. 9 for a report that the hospital suspected shaken baby syndrome in an infant and was transferring him to the Connecticut Children's Medical Center via Life Star helicopter. They learned that Murray and the child's mother had called 911 after the child became unresponsive.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit prepared by Detective Joseph Masson, Murray said he and the baby's mother were living together in Jewett City and that the mother asked him to take care of the child while she slept because she needed the night off. He said he held the baby under the armpits and bounced him up and down and against his chest to stop him from crying. Murray said the baby's forehead hit his chest five to 10 times and that he did not think he was hurting the child, who did stop crying. Murray admitted he had done the same thing to the child about a month earlier.
Murray is charged with first-degree assault and risk of injury to a minor and appeared Monday with his attorney, Michael Blanchard. Judge Patrick J. Clifford reminded Murray there is a protective order that prohibits him from having contact with the victim and continued the case to March 29.
http://www.theday.com/article/20110315/NWS02/303159939/-1/NWS

SBS: Connecticutt: Joshua Murray

A 22-year-old former Jewett City man was arraigned Friday in Norwich Superior Court to face charges he caused serious injuries to his girlfriend’s 2-month-old son.
 Aaron Flaum/ NorwichBulletin.com

Joshua A. Murray,  was arrested Wednesday after an investigation into a Jan. 9 incident in which a baby was rushed to The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich from a residence where Murray and the baby’s mother were living, police said.
The baby boy was unconscious and unresponsive, police said, and an initial assessment at Backus showed he had sustained a head injury, or Shaken Baby Syndrome. He was flown to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford where further examination revealed the child had sustained head trauma and doctors found two hemorrhages on his brain, one old and one new, according to police reports.
On the night of the child’s hospitalization, Murray told police the baby would not sleep and he was bouncing the child on his knee when it pooped and went limp.
In later interviews, Murray told police that on at least two occasions when the baby was being fussy and would not fall asleep, he bounced the baby off his chest, holding the child under the armpits and bouncing him up and down with the baby’s forehead striking his chest, police reports show.
Murray told police he never intentionally hurt the child.
“Murray concluded his statement by saying that he is very sorry that the victim is in the hospital. Murray stated that he wished he knew he was hurting the victim,” according to the police report.
Rebecca Nixie, a registered nurse who is a parent educator and teaches infant CPR and newborn infant care at The William W. Backus Hospital, said incidents of Shaken Baby Syndrome occur “more frequently then we think it does.”
She recalled one month in which three different infants were brought in for treatment. She said education for new parents is offered to all families in the hospital’s birthing center.
“We go over what Shaken Baby Syndrome is, the signs and symptoms and how they can prepare if they have a baby that is very fussy,” Nixie said. 
Shaken Baby Syndrome occurs when a baby is violently shaken by the shoulders, arms or legs. It can result from shaking alone or from impact. The resulting whiplash effect can cause bleeding within the brain or the eyes, because the baby has undeveloped neck muscles.
“It’s not just bouncing the baby on the knee gently,” Nixie said. “This is forceful shaking. It’s the movement of the baby’s head back and forth that can cause damage.”
Nixie said a parent or caregiver may shake a baby out of anger or frustration, often because the baby won’t stop crying.
“I think they do it not knowing they’re hurting the baby,” she said. “Babies are going to cry. That’s the only method of communication they have.”
Shaken Baby Syndrome is the leading cause of child abuse deaths in the United States and newborns up to 4 months old are at greatest risk of injury from shaking, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nancy Gentes, executive director at Madonna Place in Norwich, said her organization also offers a variety of programs for parents and caregivers to try and prevent situations such as this. Statistics, she said, show that many of these cases of abuse are caused by someone other than the biological parent.
“I’m sad to hear about yet another case like this,” Gentes said. “I hope the child is OK.”
Murray is charged with three felony counts — first-degree assault and two counts of risk of injury to a minor.
He posted a $100,000 bond before Friday’s court appearance.
Acting on recommendations of the court’s family relations division, Judge Hunchu Kwak ordered a no contact order, barring Murray from any contact with the baby.
The case was continued to Feb. 25, allowing Murray time to find an attorney. The baby is in stable condition in the care of the Department of Children and Families, police said.
http://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/crime/x1145630842/Suspect-Baby-was-injured-by-accident