A three-month-old infant is in critical condition in the paediatric intensive care unit at Makarios Hospital after being diagnosed with Shaken Baby Syndrome, while the child’s father has been arrested and remanded in custody as investigations continue.
According to police and medical sources, the infant was admitted last Friday to the Paediatric Emergency Department of Nicosia General Hospital, where doctors identified symptoms consistent with Shaken Baby Syndrome. The child underwent emergency surgery, was subsequently intubated, and was transferred to the paediatric intensive care unit at Makarios Hospital, where the infant remains in a critical condition.
Arrest and court proceedings
Following the medical findings, the on-duty doctors informed the authorities, prompting an investigation by the Nicosia Criminal Investigation Department. An arrest warrant was issued against the infant’s 28-year-old father, who was taken into custody on Tuesday morning.
The suspect appeared before the Nicosia District Court later the same day, which issued a four-day remand order to facilitate ongoing investigations. He is being investigated for a series of serious offences, including causing grievous bodily harm, child endangerment, abuse of a minor under the age of 16, and negligent acts resulting in bodily injury.
According to court proceedings, the father denies any involvement in the incident. He stated that he intends to call the paediatrician who had been monitoring the infant to testify.
What is Shaken Baby Syndrome?
Shaken Baby Syndrome is a severe and highly dangerous form of physical abuse that occurs when an infant is violently shaken. It primarily affects very young children whose bodies, and especially neck muscles, are not yet sufficiently developed to withstand sudden or forceful movements.
As a result, the infant’s head moves uncontrollably, leading to serious brain injuries. Medical consequences may include internal bleeding, brain swelling and long-term neurological damage, often without visible external signs of trauma. In some cases, symptoms appear immediately, while in others they develop gradually, making early detection more difficult.
Infants who have suffered such trauma may exhibit excessive drowsiness, severe irritability, difficulty feeding or breathing, seizures, or loss of consciousness. The consequences can be permanent, affecting a child’s motor, cognitive and sensory development, and in the most severe cases the syndrome can be fatal.
Medical experts stress that Shaken Baby Syndrome is often linked to moments of extreme stress, fatigue or loss of control by caregivers, particularly during episodes of prolonged crying. However, they emphasise that no level of shaking is ever safe, even if it lasts only a few seconds.