Kat (Baby aged 3 months, UK)

Introduction

I am a mother of three and previously worked as a pediatric nurse before facing accusations of shaken baby syndrome. My family had no history with social services or police involvement, and my children were happy and thriving. I maintained an unblemished professional record, and we were just a normal, happy family.

Pregnancy and Birth

Towards the end of my pregnancy, I started feeling unwell with more frequent headaches. I developed preeclampsia. My waters broke at 40 weeks and were meconium stained. An oxytocin drip caused uterine hyperstimulation, extreme pain, and fetal distress; there was no intervention. Fortunately, my child was born healthy with good Apgar scores. He weighed 4.08kg, measured 59cm in length, and had a head circumference of 37cm—a big baby! We were allowed to go home the same day. Everything seemed fine at that time except for him appearing quite sleepy, which I attributed to the difficult delivery. Our family was overjoyed with our new addition.

The Day Everything Changed

Over the next few weeks, I noticed some differences in my child compared to my other children. He didn’t sleep much during the day and always seemed to be moving his limbs. Friends and family reassured me that ’every baby is different,’ so I assumed I was just anxious. I was readmitted to the hospital three times due to complications with my blood pressure and started medication, which did not ease my anxiety, especially around breastfeeding and concerns about medication levels in my milk. He also seemed to struggle opening his bowels and had green stools; the GP suggested changing my diet. We thought he might have reflux as he became fussy during feeding.

In the weeks leading up to his collapse, we noticed him bringing up small amounts of milk, his movements becoming more pronounced, and I felt his head looked disproportionately large compared to his body. However, no one else shared these concerns, so I dismissed them, thinking I was overly anxious. When I visited the GP worried about postnatal anxiety, the only unusual thing on the day of the collapse was a brief ‘staring/vacant’ episode in the afternoon; when I called out to him, he smiled and seemed just sleepy.

In the evening, after going shopping, my husband called me back home urgently. When I arrived, he was making unusual breathing noises, almost like grunting. I took him from my husband and told him to call an ambulance. During that call, he began having a seizure. It lasted only minutes but felt like forever; I will never recover from that moment and still struggle to speak about it physically.

The paramedic noted episodes of bradycardia and mottled skin before rushing us to the hospital. Upon arrival, he was alert but his oxygen levels dipped, requiring supplemental oxygen which quickly recovered him. Doctors initially suspected sepsis and started antibiotics. Blood tests were mostly unremarkable except for a slight drop in hemoglobin and a rise in lactate.

Later, I felt that his fontanelle didn’t feel normal (it had always dipped slightly since birth) and asked the nurse to alert the doctor. Though he wasn’t concerned, I insisted it didn’t feel right for my son. He agreed to order a CT scan which showed a right-sided subdural hematoma described as mixed density. We were then transferred to a specialist children’s hospital for neurosurgical assessment.

When the Diagnosis Was Made

On arrival at the children’s hospital, I was already aware that a referral had been made to social services, but I wasn’t really aware that we were being suspected of causing harm. I was told the transfer was to conduct further tests to determine if he needed surgery and to find out what caused the bleeding. He was reviewed and found to be alert, smiling, and interacting normally. The team had reviewed the CT scan and decided that no intervention was necessary, opting for conservative management instead. He only required a nasogastric tube because he had vomited after some feeds.

Later in the day, a social worker arrived and informed us that he would need a ‘child protection medical’. It was at this point I started to think they were suspecting we had hurt our baby. At the medical, we were asked to consent to a skeletal survey (full body X-rays) to check for fractures, which of course we agreed to. We answered all their questions and cooperated fully. I was in shock; I was scared even to touch my baby, terrified his brain would bleed again or he would have another seizure.

We were then informed that we were not allowed to be unsupervised with him, so I had to call my mum to come to the hospital, which she did. He later had an eye exam, which I thought they were checking for tumours or masses; now I know they were looking for retinal haemorrhages - he had them, bilateral and extensive - which they used to further solidify their case.

Unbeknownst to me, social services visited my older children in school without my consent and pulled them out of class to ask intrusive questions about if they felt safe at home. My children are traumatized by this and still say how much it scared them. I had been begging the staff to complete an MRI to find what caused the bleed, but they kept delaying it. I couldn’t understand why there was no urgency, but finally, two days later, they completed it.

I had to watch my baby go under general anaesthetic for the procedure and wait anxiously for him to wake up. As soon as I was told he was awake and in recovery, I felt a sense of relief. He came back to the ward, and I waited anxiously for the doctors to give us the results. I was just about to express some breast milk when a safeguarding doctor and nurse came to ask me and his dad to go with them as social care and police had questions for us.

I didn’t think anything of it at all and agreed. We were taken into a room where I continued to express milk, and the safeguarding nurse made conversation with us; she was kind and made us feel safe and comfortable. The second I finished expressing milk, five uniformed police officers entered the room - I even smiled and said hello as I really had no idea what was about to happen. They arrested us. No warning, no compassion, no offer to just answer questions. Arrested and thrown into a cage in the back of a van and taken into custody. This will haunt me for the rest of my life.

My baby was in hospital needing his mum, and they took me, for no other reason than one doctor made the assumption ‘he must have been shaken’. I haven’t stopped researching since the second I was released from custody, and I won’t stop until I find the truth. The treating hospital did conduct a vascular anomalies MDT (though have not disclosed those records to myself or the courts….yet! ), and a renowned neurosurgeon has said that my son has BESS and that the bleed was a rebleed of an old subdural. But my son’s case is very complex; there are genetic factors at play too.

My son had no fractures, no bruises, not a single mark. He had no brain swelling, no hypoxia injury, no diffuse axonal injury - nothing to suggest this was traumatic in origin. I will NEVER stop fighting for justice for him. NEVER.

Inside the Legal System

I was separated (though I was allowed supervised contact) from my children for nearly two years. Now they are home with me. There are no court orders for my older two children, but my baby is in my care subject to a full care order. Luckily, my older children remained with their father and my baby was placed with my mum; I have no idea how I would have coped if this wasn’t the case.

I was charged with child neglect after the police received the judgment from the family court findings - which were unsafe, to say the least - and I am currently planning an appeal. The criminal proceedings remain ongoing, but I am using them to fight for the truth of what happened to my baby.

This experience has broken me. I am not the same person I was before. It feels like two separate lives—the one before, and this new one now. My children have been traumatized. During the proceedings, my older children experienced skin reactions, were tearful, and became avoidant of new people and places. They refused to speak with social workers because they were so angry that their lives had been taken from them. Their bond with their baby brother was damaged but is now slowly beginning to heal. Even our relationship has become strained at times as we are learning a new way of life.

My relationship with my baby’s father broke down despite knowing deep down that he never hurt my child. The court process conditioned me to be suspicious, and my trust in him eroded. The stress of the proceedings destroyed us, and now our family is divided. My health has suffered; I developed shingles shortly after the family court’s finding of fact, and not long afterward, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, leaving me in constant pain.

Financially, I am ruined as I have lost my career as a pediatric nurse. My entire life has changed, but more importantly, my children’s world has shifted entirely. The feelings that remain today are anger and hurt. I cannot tolerate the injustice of being presumed a liar because I cannot explain what happened to my baby. This injustice is crippling me, and I won’t stop until I have the truth and this system is changed. I can’t allow this to happen to others, and I can’t let it be my son’s story.

For consistency across testimonies, this text may have been slightly edited or translated by artificial intelligence. If you notice any error or inconsistency, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Adele, France

My husband and I are merchants, and we’re thirty years old. We have three children: a daughter and twin boys. We live above our …

Agathe, France

It has been 8 years since I have been taking care of babies coming from nurseries or hospitals. I am a mother of three children aged 14, …

Alexandre, France

The delivery went without any issues. My baby was crying a lot, was he already suffering? We regularly consulted the pediatrician and …

Alexia, France

I gave birth at 30 weeks and two days. My baby was a large preterm, and I had to undergo a cesarean section with forceps. We went for a …

Amédée, France

Separated for a year at the time of the events, I was the mother of two boys aged 20 and 18 (one in the army, the other in school). I had …

Anaïs, France

My pregnancy was marked by several complications: I had two cases of thrombophlebitis as well as a pulmonary embolism. Additionally, Issam …

Anonyme, France

We have been a couple for 11 years and married for 7 years. We are 35 years old and have three children aged 5, 3, and 1 year. We live in a …

Anonyme, France

I have worked in the field of early childhood for 10 years, 5 years in a facility and 5 years as a childcare provider. I never had any …

Another Family, UK

I experienced preterm labor at 26 weeks and received steroid injections. The baby was head down and engaged from 20 weeks and did not move …

Audrey Edmunds, USA

I was pregnant with my third child and had been caring for children for over two decades. Just more than an hour after the baby came into …

Barbora, Canada

Newcomers to Canada, we had been here only two years at the time of the false accusation. We were expecting twins and already had an older …

Bénédicte, France

Bénédicte, childcare provider since 2014. Married and mother of two children. Difficulties observed at the end of pregnancy. The child came …

Camille, France

Story coming soon.

Candie, France

I am 46 years old and was a nanny from 2003 to 2018. I had a passion for caring for children with kindness, love, laughter, and sharing. …

Catherine, France

I was a childcare assistant for 40 years, 20 in a family daycare center and 20 as an independent provider, with no incidents whatsoever. I …

Chloé, France

My spouse and I were 29 and 27 years old at the time of the accident. We are co-managers of an equestrian tourism facility, and my husband …

Courtney, USA

At the time of accusation, I was a stay-at-home mom, and my husband is an HVAC tech. We had six children in total; our boy was one of the …

Cyrille, France

Parents in their thirties, father is a researcher and mother is a speech therapist. The birth was long. The baby’s head circumference …

Dwayne Lindsey, Australia

Victoria, Australia Evidence presented in my case by the mother and other witnesses states that I was a loving and present parent. However, …

Elisabeth, France

I was a childcare assistant right after finishing my studies. The child had an episode while being fed the bottle. I called my neighbor to …

Elise, USA

When my son was diagnosed, I was an attorney in private practice in New York. As a single parent, I lived on Manhattan’s Upper West …

Elyne, France

I was 26 years old, and my partner, who was 30, and I had a little girl of 21 months when our baby boy was born during the summer holidays. …

Emeline, France

My husband is now 40 years old and I am 36 (36 and 32 at the time of events). He is an engineer specializing in water treatment, and I am …

Fajr, USA

I am 21, and my fiancé is 23. My fiancé was a stay-at-home dad while I worked full-time at Honda. There were no issues during the birth. …

Fany, France

I am 39 years old, married with two children. I work in the social healthcare sector. The child fell from a baby swing placed on the couch …

Flora, France

We are a family of four. I have two boys: the eldest is three and a half years old, and the youngest is ten months. I am a caregiver for …

Ilona, France

Parents’ age at the time of events: 24 and 25 years old. Mother with a disability (arthrogryposis), cashier, adopted from Cambodia by …

Jennifer, France

I have been a childcare assistant since July 2008. I hold a CAP in early childhood education, a BEP in health and social careers, as well …

Josh, USA

Josh Burns, 49, Airline Pilot. Now living in Texas. My entire story can be found at www.tornfamily.com. My child experienced birth trauma …

Julia, France

I worked with children in various sectors, but after my separation and as a single mother of two children, I became a childcare provider. I …

Julie, Australia

My husband and I are both 44 years old. He works as a glazier, while I stay at home with our children. We live in Sydney, Australia, and …

Julie, Australia

We are both 44 years old, and our son has a twin sister and a three-year-old sister. We reside in Australia. During pregnancy, my twin boy …

Karen, France

I became pregnant in quite a miraculous way, as I had been suffering from endometriosis for several years. Seven years earlier, I was …

Karine, France

Childcare provider for over 13 years, taking care of children, especially infants, is a passion. Although caring for them at any age is …

Kat, UK

I am a mother of three and previously worked as a pediatric nurse before facing accusations of shaken baby syndrome. My family had no …

Kimberly, USA

My name is Kimberly, and I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. I have three beautiful children: two on earth and one in heaven (Jr). …

Laeti, France

I have been a childcare provider since 2016 and I have two children. It was just a routine check-up… The doctor noticed that the …

Laetitia, France

My husband and I have been together for 13 years. The desire to have children came quickly in our relationship. After finishing our …

Laura, UK

I had a caesarean birth at 36+6 weeks with twins. The only issue was her head circumference, but this was never thoroughly investigated. …

Laurine, France

Parents in their late 20s with two children: identical twin girls. The twin pregnancy went smoothly despite the associated risks. Delivery …

Leigh Crutch, USA

Greetings! My name is Leigh Crutch, and I have worked as an Investigations Consultant specializing in real estate foreclosures since 2003. …

Lily, France

I have been a childcare provider for 5 years, having cared for twenty children in my large house. The house is equipped with a playroom, a …

Lisambs, France

Mom is a nurse, dad is an aide, in our thirties, owner of our house. First child, very much wanted. I was hospitalized during pregnancy for …

Lolo, France

I am 28 years old and my partner is 38. We have been together for 12 years. I work as a technical assistant, and he is an electrician. We …

Louise, UK

I am a mother who worked as a sewing machinist. Until my children were 14 years old, I raised them all. Then, the state wrongfully took …

Lyana, France

Mr., 36 years old, works in industry. Mrs., 34 years old, is active in the social sector. We have a first daughter who is four and a half …

Maddie, USA

I enjoy volunteering and taking psychology and behavioral health classes. I am also preparing to start work as a behavioral health …

Maë, France

R, M and E, a family living in the Hautes-Alpes. R is 36 years old and an electrician; M is also 36 and a teacher. E is their first child. …

Maeva, France

I had a perfect pregnancy despite bleeding during the first three months. The delivery, however, was premature at seven months of …

Manon, France

Certified babysitter and mother of two children, I have always led a happy and serene life filled with joy and unconditional love. Loving …

Maria, France

Nanny for 35 years, never any problem with a child. But when the baby showed signs of discomfort at my home, I was accused without any …

Marie, France

A father and mother, after welcoming their first child who is now 3 years old, are ready to welcome a second baby into their family. Both …

Marissa, USA

My son was 25 at the time. He worked as a roofer, and he has an older sister and a younger brother. We all reside in Des Moines, Iowa. The …

Mark, UK

My name is Mark Lackenby. I am 45 years old and work on the railway. My family has a history in mining, as we are from the UK. I have five …

Mary, UK

29 - dog trainer - Manchester, UK I am a single mother who had a wonderful birth experience and a great start with my son. He did suffer …

Melanie, Canada

I am a thirty-year-old mother who recently discovered that I have HEDS, which was misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia for years. Currently, I am a …

Melissa, USA

Mom and Dad are now married for 26 years and have five children aged 20, 18, 14, and twin 10-year-olds. This incident occurred when the …

Mia, Finland

At the time of the accusations, I was 35 years old, and my partner was 38. We both are a year older now. I work in Human Resources, while …

Mlmd, France

I had been a childcare assistant for one and a half years at the time of the events. I am also a mother to two daughters aged 7 and 11. …

Nancy, Canada

We are a couple of loving parents, both 34 years old—one is a teacher, and the other a PhD student. Each of us has three siblings. We have …

Nathalie, France

I was 35 years old and my husband was 45 at the time of these events. I am a restorer, and my spouse works as a salesperson in …

Nini, France

Trustworthy guardian who took in her niece after she was placed by Child Protective Services (CPS) because the parents were abusive. Stable …

Nini, France

Nursery assistant, nursing aide, childcare provider, and home support worker. I don’t know how the delivery went. The child was cared …

Orionea, France

I quit my job as an administrative/financial assistant to become a childcare provider in order to take care of my stepchildren and my first …

Paula, USA

I am the paternal grandmother, and I am filling out this form on behalf of my family. My daughter-in-law was 32 years old and worked as a …

Perle, France

Childcare Assistant for 11 years The child had to be placed in intensive care at birth. His head circumference was high from the start, …

Peter, Sweden

by Peter Aspelin, Emeritus Professor of Radiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. 14 January 2019. Many claim that our time is …

Reginald, USA

I am Reggie Ware; my wife, Melonie, was the accused. This occurred in 2004 when she ran an in-home daycare. I work as a musician and real …

Roxanne, USA

Stay-at-home mom. I don’t remember much about this period. The children were frequently seen by medical professionals who came to our home. …

Sally, Canada

I am 26 years old, a support worker. My partner is also 26 and works in construction. Our baby was born three weeks early. Every time I …

Sarah, France

I am married and have a child. The child had strange breathing after vomiting. I informed the mother who arrived quickly. She told me that …

Skye, UK

My labor lasted two days, and it was a natural birth. She was significantly larger than my other children. We went home, and she seemed …

Stephanie, USA

I am married with two children and have been licensed to operate a home daycare for over fifteen years. N/A It was her first and only day …

Sylvie, France

My son, the father of twins, works in public works. He is a dad to twins born in March 2021 and lives in a house he renovated to …

Valeria, France

Our family was torn apart by these accusations. We had been married for eight years when Victoria Siara was born. As her mother, I am …

Vanessa, France

New mother, my son was the same age as the little one I was taking care of. The parents were in their thirties, like me. The mother had …

Vanessa, France

I obtained my Early Childhood Care and Education certificate in 2012. I then worked in a daycare center, recreational center, as a nanny at …

Virginie, France

We are both 40 years old (I was 39 at the time of the events). I am a primary school teacher and Lionel works as a sorting inspector. We …

Support us!

Together, we can make a difference. Every donation and every membership strengthens our work — offering support, creating dialogue and advancing scientific progress.

Make a donation

Contact

If you are facing a wrongful diagnosis or if you need more information, please reach out to us.

Please note: ADIKIA does not provide legal or medical advice.
We strongly recommend consulting qualified professionals.

Complete the form