Dad charged with attempted 2nd-degree murder for attack on 6-week-old baby; mom loses custody though she was not at home (Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana)

Notice that even though the mother was not at home when Dad assaulted the baby, she has still lost custody. This is very typical. Mothers are very often held responsible for the crimes of others, even when they are not present or otherwise unable to intervene. However, the reverse is seldom true. A father can willingly and deliberately desert an abusive mother with a child, and he is virtually never held responsible for the consequences, either legally or morally.

Somewhat unusual touch here for a mainstream media article. We have pointed out before that shaking babies is a mostly male crime, mostly committed by fathers. All the studies on the matter have substantiated this. But that fact is usually swept under the rug with pleas to "parents" not to shake the baby. In fact, mothers are the LEAST likely shakers, while fathers are the MOST likely shakers.

Dad is identified as MARTY MICHAEL MARCEL.

http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20150418/articles/150419622?p=1&tc=pg

Shaken baby off life support

By Maki Somosot Staff Writer
Published: Saturday, April 18, 2015 at 8:15 p.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, April 18, 2015 at 12:04 a.m.

An infant who the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office said was violently shaken by his father over a month ago has been removed from life support.

"He remains hospitalized in the recovery stage," sheriff's Maj. Malcolm Wolfe said.

Legal custody of the baby, who remains at the Children's Hospital in New Orleans, has been granted to the state Department of Child and Family Services instead of family members at this point, Wolfe added.

After initially being treated for severe brain damage at the Terrebonne General Medical Center in mid-March, the infant was transported to the Children's Hospital for additional treatment.

Medical officials in New Orleans filed a complaint with the Sheriff's Office when they determined the baby, who was 6 weeks old, suffered from brain bleeding and other injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome, Wolfe said.

The baby's father, Marty Michael Marcel, 26, of 1855 Bayou Blue Road, was arrested Mar. 19 on an attempted second-degree murder charge.

Marcel remains at the Terrebonne Parish jail on a $75,000 bond. Inflicting cruelty on a juvenile and the perceived severity of injury resulted in the charge, Wolfe said.

If convicted, Marcel faces up to 50 years in prison. Family members interviewed by detectives called Marcel "inexperienced" in caring for his newborn son while his wife was not home, Wolfe said.

According to a 1995 American Academy of Pediatrics paper, 37 percent of those who cause shaken baby syndrome are the biological father, 21 percent involve the mother's boyfriend. 17 percent are women caregivers, 13 percent are the biological mothers and 12 percent are classified as "other."

Dr. Randell Alexander, chief of the Child Protection and Forensic Pediatrics Division at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville, said the majority of survivors often have impaired cognitive, visual and motor functions for the rest of their lives.

No information about the baby's long-term prognosis is available, officials said.

A representative from the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services declined to provide specifics about the case, but said the department is looking into suitable guardians for the child.

Assistant District Attorney Jason Dagate is reviewing Marcel's case before setting a date for his trial.