VICTORIA — A baby that suffered devastating brain injuries — possibly after being violently shaken — was absolutely lovely, didn't cry a lot and didn't cry loudly, her former foster mother testified Monday in Victoria provincial court.
"We thought we might adopt her," said Micheline Slader, testifying at the trial of her former boyfriend Avtar Basi for the aggravated assault of 11-week old Baby E.
But on the morning of Nov. 26, 2008, Baby E stopped breathing and was rushed to Victoria General Hospital where she was found to have major brain injuries.
Crown counsel Nils Jensen argues the injuries were caused because Basi violently shook Baby E that morning. However, defence lawyer John Green said Basi will testify that Baby E went limp and, in a panicked reaction, he shook her three times to try to revive her.
Slader testified on Monday that Basi phoned her. "I believe his words were, 'I think there's something wrong with Baby E. I think she's not breathing,'" Slader recalled. "I said, 'call 9-1-1.'"
She rushed home and found Basi giving rescue breaths to the infant, assisted by an emergency dispatcher on the phone.
"I pushed him out of the way and took over. I had no idea what happened to her," said Slader.
Paramedics arrived within minutes — though, she said, "it felt like forever."
Slader will continue her testimony later this week.
Also on Monday, Dr. Victor Pegado, an expert in pediatric ophthalmology, testified that he examined Baby E at the hospital and found multiple retinal hemorrhages, 50 to 100, scattered in both of her eyes.
"The one thing I want the intensive-care doctor and other doctors to know is that this was consistent with non-accidental head injury" said Pegado.
"Which includes shaken-baby syndrome?" asked Jensen.
"Yes," Pegado replied.Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Vancouver+Island+infant+centre+shaken+baby+trial+rarely+cried+court+hears/3524432/story.html#ixzz10MIPU3rC
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