Citation

Jones MD, James DS, Cory CZ, Leadbeatter S, Nokes LD. Forensic Sci. Int. 2003; 131(1): 14-21.

Affiliation

Medical Engineering Research Unit, Cardiff School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Queens Building The Parade, P.O. Box 925, Newport Road, Cardiff CF24 OYF, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12505466

Abstract

An unconscious 8 weeks old infant was admitted to hospital and found to have bilateral, subdural and retinal haemorrhages. He died the following day. The explanation for the subdural haemorrhage put forward by his carers was that the infant had been in a baby-rocker and that the carers had seen the rocker being rocked vigorously by their 14 months old daughter on two separate occasions. This paper describes the biomechanics of an infant model in the particular baby-rocker used and determines the maximum forces generated, comparing them with the 'forces' thought to be compatible with the causation of subdural haemorrhage.

Language: en