Abusive head trauma cases double over past 5 years; most due to increase in male caretakers (Burton, Michigan)

It's not hard to connect the dots here.

* Shaken baby cases have doubled over the last five years.

* 60% (or more, according to some studies) of these cases involve a "caretaking" father, boyfriend, or stepdad. (Most of the rest, according to the studies I have seen, involve other relatives or babysitters. Not the mother.)

*Therefore, it would appear that much of this increase is due to an increase in men who are assigned caretaking responsibilities over infants.

Which is in fact what has happened, especially over the Great Recession, as chronically unemployed men (sometimes with criminal records) are drafted into playing Mr. Mom while the real mom works at a fast-food place. This is VERY common in Michigan, which has a very high unemployment rate.

In addition, we are seeing far more men under FR-inspired "equal parenting" schemes get shared custody/visitation with infants they don't care about, and involving girlfriends they had broken up with months before. These guys are often violent, short-tempered dudes who are not ready to be "family men." They have no realistic idea of what is involved in caring for infants, who yes, cry on occasion.

http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2012/02/expert_says_abusive_head_traum.html

On heels of Burton shaken baby case, expert says abusive infant head trauma has nearly doubled in last 5 years
Published: Monday, February 20, 2012, 3:15 PM
Updated: Monday, February 20, 2012, 3:54 PM
By David Harris

BURTON, Michigan -- Shaken baby syndrome cases have nearly doubled nationally in the last 5 years, according to a local expert.

Fifteen in 100,000 children are affected by it nationwide, up from eight in 100,000, five years ago, said Dr. Faisal Mawri, pediatric emergency fellow at the University of Michigan Health System and former chief pediatric resident at Hurley Medical Center.

A 19-year-old Burton man is expected to be in court Tuesday on first degree child abuse charges for allegedly shaking and critically injuring a 14-month-old baby boy.

Prosecutors say Zachary J. Robinett was taking care of his girlfriend's baby while she was at work on Feb. 11 at his home on Chicory Lane near Meadowland Drive when he allegedly shook the boy.

The woman came home to find the baby and called police, who reported the baby was unresponsive when they arrived, prosecutors say.

The boy suffered numerous bruises to his head and body, a skull fracture and bleeding in the brain, said Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton.

The baby's condition has been improving, he said. Robinett is lodged in the Genesee County Jail.

The majority of abusive head trauma incidents occur when a baby is continuously crying and the caretaker, usually a young man, loses control, said Mawri.

"Young adult males are at greater risk to abuse infants, with mother's boyfriend, step-fathers and fathers committing over 60% of the crime," said Mawri. "Hence, the need to educate young adult male about (abusive head trauma) and coping skills has never been so greater. "

Mawri led an educational program at three area high schools last year on the dangers of abusive head trauma.

Genesee County saw a rash of the cases last year beginning in January, when a 4-month-old girl died in Flint and an 8-month-old baby girl was critically injured in Genesee Township. Both fathers were charged.

In October, the 18-year-old father of a 6-month-old baby girl was charged with murder after she died in his Mt. Morris Township home.

Police also are investigating a suspicious death of a baby boy who was less than a year old. He was pronounced dead at Hurley Medical Center on Saturday morning, police said. There have been no arrests or charges.

An autopsy is being performed to determine the cause of death. A detective has been assigned the case.