Boston Child Brain Injury Blog

Erica Ryan, 25, of Roxbury faces a charge of assault and battery on a child that stemmed from an incident last Tuesday afternoon on an MBTA bus in Roxbury, after Ryan reportedly punched her 2-year-old son in the mouth and caused him to bleed.

Thankfully, her fellow MBTA riders stopped Ryan from walking away and immediately called police to report what they had witnessed.

The Boston Globe reports that around 3:30pm that day, police responded to a group of individuals who had surrounded Ryan and her infant.

Ryan had reportedly been attempting to feed her toddler while on the Route 23 bus. When her son would not eat, Ryan used vulgarities and obscenities towards the child and then punched him in the mouth.

After Ryan punched her son, MBTA riders approached her and the boy out of concern for his well-being after seeing the child abuse incident and called police. When Ryan tried to leave the bus, the riders continued to follow her and then surrounded her, in order to prevent her from leaving before police responded.

Police confirmed that the toddler had dried blood around his mouth from being hit. There is also security footage of the shocking situation and it reportedly shows Ryan hitting her son, with his head snapping back while seated in his stroller.

The little boy was taken to a Boston hospital for an evaluation and was then released to his grandfather.

Child Abuse Statistics
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that child protective services identified 772,000 children in the U.S. in 2008 who were suffering from abuse, neglect, or another form of maltreatment.

It is a sad reality that many child injuries result from parental child abuse. The culprits are oftentimes mostly young, inexperienced, and frustrated parents who take out their frustrations on defenseless and vulnerable infants, often resulting in serious physical harm.

In some instances, this can lead to irreversible brain damage, other severe injuries, or even death. Last week, a Lawrence man caused his infant son to go blind after it was reported that he violently shook him.

Shaken Baby Syndrome
The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome reports that Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is a serious form of child abuse that can cause permanent damage in an infant within seconds. Research shows that the perpetrators of SBS shake an infant because they are frustrated or angry over a child’s constant crying or a child’s feeding problems.

When Should You Contact a Boston Child Injury Attorney?
If your child has suffered serious injuries while in another’s care in Massachusetts, contact a Boston child injury lawyer with Kiley Law Group to find out about your legal options before you sign any forms, talk to the insurance company or hire a lawyer.

Attorney Tom Kiley, also known as The Million Dollar Man, has over 30 years of experience and a successful track record of obtaining seven figure wins for clients in auto accident cases, medical malpractice, child birth injuries, brain injuries, and other personal injury cases.

Call 800-410-2769 to receive your FREE legal consultation today. And while the call is free, the information may be priceless.

DISCLAIMER: The Kiley Law Group is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited within the article. If you were involved in this accident or a similar incident and have questions about your rights and legal options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a legal evaluation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to all not-at-fault persons named in this article and to their family members as well.

Erica Ryan, 25, of Roxbury faces a charge of assault and battery on a child that stemmed from an incident last Tuesday afternoon on an MBTA bus in Roxbury, after Ryan reportedly punched her 2-year-old son in the mouth and caused him to bleed.

Thankfully, her fellow MBTA riders stopped Ryan from walking away and immediately called police to report what they had witnessed.

The Boston Globe reports that around 3:30pm that day, police responded to a group of individuals who had surrounded Ryan and her infant.

Ryan had reportedly been attempting to feed her toddler while on the Route 23 bus. When her son would not eat, Ryan used vulgarities and obscenities towards the child and then punched him in the mouth.

After Ryan punched her son, MBTA riders approached her and the boy out of concern for his well-being after seeing the child abuse incident and called police. When Ryan tried to leave the bus, the riders continued to follow her and then surrounded her, in order to prevent her from leaving before police responded.

Police confirmed that the toddler had dried blood around his mouth from being hit. There is also security footage of the shocking situation and it reportedly shows Ryan hitting her son, with his head snapping back while seated in his stroller.

The little boy was taken to a Boston hospital for an evaluation and was then released to his grandfather.

Child Abuse Statistics
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that child protective services identified 772,000 children in the U.S. in 2008 who were suffering from abuse, neglect, or another form of maltreatment.

It is a sad reality that many child injuries result from parental child abuse. The culprits are oftentimes mostly young, inexperienced, and frustrated parents who take out their frustrations on defenseless and vulnerable infants, often resulting in serious physical harm.

In some instances, this can lead to irreversible brain damage, other severe injuries, or even death. Last week, a Lawrence man caused his infant son to go blind after it was reported that he violently shook him.

Shaken Baby Syndrome
The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome reports that Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is a serious form of child abuse that can cause permanent damage in an infant within seconds. Research shows that the perpetrators of SBS shake an infant because they are frustrated or angry over a child’s constant crying or a child’s feeding problems.

When Should You Contact a Boston Child Injury Attorney?
If your child has suffered serious injuries while in another’s care in Massachusetts, contact a Boston child injury lawyer with Kiley Law Group to find out about your legal options before you sign any forms, talk to the insurance company or hire a lawyer.

Attorney Tom Kiley, also known as The Million Dollar Man, has over 30 years of experience and a successful track record of obtaining seven figure wins for clients in auto accident cases, medical malpractice, child birth injuries, brain injuries, and other personal injury cases.

Call 800-410-2769 to receive your FREE legal consultation today. And while the call is free, the information may be priceless.

DISCLAIMER: The Kiley Law Group is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited within the article. If you were involved in this accident or a similar incident and have questions about your rights and legal options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a legal evaluation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to all not-at-fault persons named in this article and to their family members as well.

There are more than 3 million child abuse cases in the U.S. every year. According to the non-profit organization ChildHelp, in 2007 there were more than 3.2 million child abuse reports, in which, approximately 5.8 million children were involved.

These are just the reported cases – they do not account for the unreported child abuse cases.

Who really knows how many children still suffer injuries are kept in silence.

One type of child abuse affecting infants and toddlers is the violent shaking, also known as Shaken Baby Syndrome, which often leads to traumatic brain injury, coma, or death in young children.

If you suspect that your child’s injuries were the result of a violent shaking episode while your child was in the care of someone else, you can file a child abuse lawsuit against them, regardless if they are parents or other family members, friends, neighbors, babysitters, medical professionals, or strangers.

Each state’s child abuse law may be different, so check the law of your state regarding what is defined as child abuse, how much time do you have to file for a child abuse lawsuit, does your case qualify for criminal prosecution, and so on.
In some cases you can still pursue a civil lawsuit regarding your child’s injuries from SBS.

In a child abuse case resulting in personal injury, the burden of proof lies with the plaintiff. In many instances, the case may be difficult to prove due to lack of witnesses. You will also need to prove that the abuse resulted in a personal injury to the child, and further caused financial and emotional hardship to the victim’s family.

Do not lose hope.

You can still prove that the abuse happened, and that the defendant is the responsible party. The help an experienced personal injury lawyer is essential if you want to build a strong case. The lawyer will help you gather expert testimony, eyewitness statements, and accounts from other potential victims.

You may recover financial settlements to cover your child’s medical exams and treatment, mental health therapy, loss of earning capacity, transportation expenses, and the pain and suffering caused by their injuries.

Remember, by filing a child abuse lawsuit, you are not only fighting for your child, but also preventing future child abuse.

Call 800-410-2769 to receive a Free legal consultation with a Massachusetts child brain injury lawyer.

The Boston personal injury lawyers at Kiley Law Group have a 30-year record of successfully obtaining 7-figure wins and settlements for clients in child injury cases, motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, and other personal injury accidents.

The call is free, but the advice may be priceless.

An update out a few weeks ago shed some light on the disturbingly shocking news story of an 18-year-old East Boston woman who allegedly threw her newborn baby out of a window from the second floor of her home.

Eva Flores had allegedly been raped in El Salvador months prior to the incident and had been threatened with harm if she told anyone what had happened. Her attorney attempted to put perspective on the mental state of Flores when she reportedly threw the newborn out of the window.

Prosecutors in the case have stated that neighbors of the Flores residence discovered the crying newborn boy face down in a Saratoga Street alleyway on September 20. The baby was unclothed and still had some of the umbilical cord attached. He is currently in the custody and care of Department of Children and Families, specifically in medical foster care due to traumatic brain injuries he sustained from the fall that may be permanent.

Flores recently pleaded not guilty on charges of assault and battery on a child causing serious injury, as well as wanton and reckless endangerment of a child. She is being held on $10,000 cash bail. Federal authorities also have an interest in the Flores case as she is in the U.S. illegally.

The case has been continued until December 22.

Causes of Brain Injury in Infants and Children
Assaults on children up to age 14 account for nearly three percent of all traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). While three percent may not appear to be significant number, it truly is for children who sustain these types of serious injuries. In 2008, just over 1,700 children ranging from newborn to age 17 died as a result of child abuse and neglect, with 80 percent of recorded deaths found among children under the age of 4.

Another cause of brain injury is Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) which occurs when an infant is shaken or critically assaulted in some way and with such force that the vessels in the brain burst, potentially causing the brain to bleed and swell. SBS may result in irreparable damage to the infant’s brain cells and tissue, causing serious and traumatic brain injuries or even death.

When You Need to Talk to a Boston Child Brain Injury Attorney
When your child has sustained a life-altering severe brain injury, you shouldn’t have to pay for ongoing medical care and treatment. A serious head or brain injury may require lifelong care and financial support. Accepting a settlement offer without the guidance of a skilled Boston child injury attorney can leave you and your child ill prepared for the road ahead. Your child deserves a legal team who is experienced in handling child brain injury cases in Massachusetts and one who can ensure that he or she will receive fair compensation for his or her brain injury.

So, before you sign any insurance claim forms, give a recorded statement to the insurance adjuster, or agree to a settlement offer, schedule your FREE case evaluation today by calling 800-930-8145. You can also learn more about how to best handle your child’s injury by requesting a FREE copy of our Massachusetts child injury book.