Shaken-baby trial starts

PITTSFIELD — The toddler has lost her sight and probably will never walk. And she may not have much bodily function at all, although only time will tell.

The baby was just 10 weeks old when she sustained life-threatening injuries at the hands of one of her parents on March 11, 2006, according to Berkshire Second Assistant District Attorney Joan M. McMenemy.

The prosecutor made the damning allegations during opening statements yesterday in the criminal trial of Marlin Brandow, the girl's father. The girl's mother, Janan M. Scutt, will be tried at a later date, according to Berkshire Superior Court officials.

Each parent accuses the other of inflicting serious, debilitating injuries on the child, who is now more than 2 years old. That is why prosecutors decided to charge both Brandow and Scutt in connection with the incident.

Brandow was indicted on single counts of assault and battery on a child resulting in substantial injury, assault and battery on a child with injury and permitting substantial injury to a child. Scutt was indicted on two counts of assault and battery on a child with substantial injury and on one count of assault and battery on a child with injury.

"This will not be an easy case," said McMenemy. "Both of (the child's) parents blame the other."

Meanwhile, Brandow's attorney, Alexander Z. Nappan, said his client has become the commonwealth's fall guy in the difficult case. Nappan said Scutt is the one who has exhibited abusive behavior toward the child, telling the baby to "shut the (expletive) up" when she cried.

"Somebody has to pay for this crime," Nappan said. "The commonwealth, for whatever reason, has selected Mr. Brandow as the man who did this crime."

However, McMenemy and Nappan do agree that both Brandow and Scutt have told lies during the criminal investigation. According to police and prosecutors, Brandow changed his stories about what happened to the baby: He initially claimed she choked after a feeding, then stated she rolled off a bed while he was changing her.

"The medical evidence will show you that (the child) was shaken," said McMenemy, and suffered brain and retinal hemorrhaging — symptoms of shaken baby syndrome, or SBS.

SBS is the leading cause of death in abusive head trauma cases, according to the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome. The Utah-based organization claims an estimated 1,200 to 1,400 children are injured or killed by shaking every year in the United States. About a quarter of all SBS victims die from their injuries, according to the organization's Web site, www.dontshake.com.

The majority of infants who survive will have some form of neurological or mental disabilities, such as cerebral palsy or mental retardation.

When the case is boiled down to its essence, the evidence will show that Brandow was alone with the baby when she stopped breathing, McMenemy said. Brandow and Scutt had been staying at a West Housatonic Street motel in Pittsfield at the time of the March 2006 incident.

Brandow ran to the motel's office, where employees quickly called 911, then tried to calm Brandow while helping his infant daughter, according to testimony yesterday. The employees — Mary Barker, 48, and Jessica Clayborn, 24, neither of whom works at the motel now — testified that Brandow was distraught when he ran into the office with the lifeless child in his arms.

"I just noticed that (the baby's) head was flopping," Barker said.

Clayborn, who had recently finished emergency medical training at the time, attempted to resuscitate the child, who initially did not have a pulse.

Both women claimed that Scutt angrily confronted Brandow when she returned to the motel. Clayborn testified that she heard Scutt scream: "What did you do to my baby?"

Testimony is scheduled to resume today at 9 a.m. in Berkshire Superior Court.

Two-year-old girl survives falling into pool after learning to swim from just eight weeks

A toddler survived falling into her family's pool because she had taken swimming lessons since she was eight weeks old.

Elizabeth Jelley, who is now two, spent several minutes in the 4ft-deep pool while her mother Amanda frantically searched for her in the house.

The 38-year-old nurse said the Water Babies swimming classes she attended with Elizabeth taught her daughter not to panic and to swim to the side.

Elizabeth Jelley with mother Amanda: The toddler was able to keep safe while holding onto the side of the pool

She had heard her daughter calling her name but was unaware she had left the door leading to the pool unlocked.

She found Elizabeth clinging to the side of the indoor pool.

Mrs Jelley, of Noctorum in the Wirral, said: "She was running around but suddenly she went quiet so I began looking for her.

"She was calling 'Mummy, Mummy' but she wasn't panicking. It just sounded like she wanted me to look for her.

"I was hunting under the beds and in wardrobes but I couldn't see her.

"When I saw the door was open I just went cold. I thought that was it. I thought she had gone under the water."

Elizabeth as a baby learning to swim

She added: "When I found Elizabeth she was holding on to the side of the pool. She seemed quite content."

Mrs Jelley believes her daughter managed to right herself, swim to the edge of the pool and hold on to the side ? techniques taught in her class.

She said: "It was pretty amazing."

Jess Thompson, who founded Water Babies, said: "Stories like Elizabeth's make me feel emotional.

"I don't think she would have survived if it hadn't been for the classes. Most children drown because they panic when they fall into water.

"Water Babies teaches children to become familiar with water, starting with splashing it gently on to their face."

Woonsocket woman charged with toddler’s death sobs in court

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A woman accused of beating her 3-year-old nephew to death sobbed during her trial yesterday.

Katherine Bunnell broke down as a detective testified about interviewing her shortly after Thomas "T.J." Wright suffered the injuries that killed him in October 2004.

Wright and his siblings had been placed in Bunnell's care. She's charged with murder and conspiracy.

A judge warned Bunnell against further outbursts.

On Wednesday, a baby sitter testified that Bunnell dragged T.J. out of bed, beat him and poured a container of milk over his head because the toddler made a mess.

Bunnell's attorney says Bunnell's boyfriend, Gilbert Delestre, is responsible for the child's death. Delestre has also been charged and will be tried separately.

Westminster tot bounces off bed through 2nd-story window

Westminster police are investigating an incident in which a 2-year-old girl fell from a two-story bedroom window Thursday.

The toddler, who was not identified, was taken to Children's Hospital, where she was in stable condition Thursday night.

"She was conscious and crying but lethargic," said Stephanie Topkoff, spokeswoman for Westminster police.

Investigators learned that the girl had been bouncing on a bed in an upstairs bedroom.

"The bed was next to a window," said Topkoff. "The window doesn't have a screen, and she fell."

The toddler fell two floors, but it was not known whether she fell on rocks below the window or on the grass.

By Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News

Baby bounces out window, lives!

A 2-year-old girl bouncing on a bed bounced out an open second-story window in Westminster today, but the toddler appears to have escaped with only cuts and bruises, authorities said.

Rescuers were called to the home in the 5900 block of 118th Ave. at about 4 p.m. The little girl, who was not identified, was playing with two siblings. Her mother was at home; her father was at work, police said.

The girl was taken to The Children's Hospital in Aurora.

In statement, Westminster police said, "It is important to remember with warmer weather not to allow children to play near windows. Even window screens can give way leading to accidents. Do not place furniture under windows and do not open windows wide enough children can fit through."

Police have not determined whether any charges are appropriate.

By The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 05/08/2008

Holland toddler falls from second story window

HOLLAND - A 21-month-old child is in the hospital after falling out of a window Saturday night. Police say Riley Gillihan and her 3-year-old brother were playing in the second story window next to their bed at a home on East 40th and Lincoln.

Sgt. Jeff Velthouse says a man and woman from Grand Haven were driving near the home when they spotted the children and tried to help.

"They saw two small children sticking their heads out the window and they stopped. They knocked at the door didn't get a response immediately and at the same time were telling the children to get back in the house," said Holland police sergeant Jeff Velthouse.

But police say the mother had put the kids to bed and apparently did not hear anything.

When the couple couldn't reach her, they went to a neighbor's house who called the dad on his cell phone.

"He did call his wife to say hey check on the kids, something is going on-- they're hanging out the window. And by the time the mother got to the window the little girl had already fallen out," said Detective Sergeant Roger Vanliere.

"The window is right next to the mattress of that bunk bed so both kids were standing on that mattress near that open window, said Velthouse."

Police say the toddler suffered a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain. She is recovering at DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, and is expected to be okay.

Velthouse says if it weren't for the couples quick thinking the little girl could have been out there for a long time before anyone discovered her.


by: Angela Cunningham

Summer Infant 1Q profit grows 31.6%

WOONSOCKET – Summer Infant Inc. posted a first-quarter profit of $1 million, a 31.6-percent increase from the year-ago $760,000, on net revenue that rose 65.6 percent to $28.43 million. Diluted earnings per share rose to 7 cents from the year-ago 5 cents.

“This growth was driven primarily by an expanded product offering at existing customers and penetration into a larger number of stores within existing customers’ networks,” Summer Infant said in its report. “The company benefited from strong increases at all major existing customers, as well as solid growth from new customers such as Wal-Mart and Lowe’s.

“The increase in revenue was also driven by new product launches within the soft-goods and baby-gear categories, in addition to strong sales of the 3 Stage Super Seat. In addition, sales momentum remains strong in core categories, including baby monitors, [a category that] continues to benefit from solid performance of the new flat-screen monitor.”

The company’s gross margin shrank to 35.0 percent in the quarter just ended, from the 2007 fourth quarter’s 37.0 percent and the year-ago 38.2 percent.

“While we continued to face rising raw material, currency and labor cost headwinds in China, we remain focused on growing our business and positioning it for the long term,” CEO Jason Macari said in the after-market report.

On March 31, Summer Infant completed its purchase of Basic Comfort Inc., a maker of infant sleep positioners, head supports and changing pads. The company paid about $4.7 million in cash plus 450,000 shares of unregistered common stock, which had a closing price that day of $3.95 per share, giving the deal a total value of about $6.5 million. (READ MORE)

On April 18, the company completed its purchase of Kiddopotamus & Co., a maker of infant travel, feeding and nursery accessories. Summer Infant paid about $9.6 million in cash plus 697,890 unregistered shares, valued at $2.9 million, giving the deal a total value of about $12.5 million. (READ MORE)

As of March 31, Summer Infant’s balance sheet listed $2.2 million of cash and $32.5 million of debt. The company expanded its borrowing last month in preparation for the Kiddopotamus acquisition, to an authorized total of $50 million, of which $8.0 million remains untapped.

“Our recently announced acquisitions of Basic Comfort and Kiddopotamus complement our existing product offerings, enable us to expand our brand presence at existing customers, and provide access to new retailers,” Macari said. “We are confident we can realize significant sales and cost synergies as we integrate these operations into our existing platform.

“Looking ahead,” he added, “we expect our sales momentum in 2008 to remain healthy, as ordering rates and customer feedback continue to suggest solid demand. … While we anticipate raw-material inflation, higher labor costs and devaluation of the U.S. dollar in China to continue to pressure gross margins in the near-term, we have been able to implement select price increases in order to pass on some of the incremental costs … [and] we continue to implement sourcing and supply-chain initiatives to help offset some of the cost pressures we are incurring.”

The company yesterday boosted its full-year forecast, projecting 2008 revenue of $129.0 to $133.0 million and earnings of 37 to 40 cents per diluted share.

Summer Infant Inc. (Nasdaq: SUMR, SUMRU, SUMRW) – formerly KBL Healthcare Acquisition Corp. II – is the parent of Summer Infant (USA) Inc., Summer Infant Europe Ltd. and Summer Infant Asia Ltd. (collectively, the “Summer Infant Operating Companies”), which design and make audio-video monitors, safety gates, bed rails, infant thermometers, booster and potty seats and other infant and toddler products. To learn more, visit www.summerinfant.com.

By Susan A. Baird
PBN Web Editor

Child falls out of second story window

HOLLAND, Mich (WOOD) - A toddler was hospitalized Sunday after a frightening fall from the window of a Holland home.

Accidental injury is the number one killer of kids in the United States.

The hospital says Rileigh Gillihan is in fair condition and is beating that statistic.

Her family tells us they're thankful because this near-tragedy could have turned out very differently.

"She was lying that way, I couldn't really see her, because they had her head covered in blankets, because she could freeze, it was raining, we didn't want her to get sick," said Alison Van Deusen.

Alison arrived a the home in Holland to discover a little girl she describes like her sister lying on the gravel driveway.

"I asked her older brothers and sisters, what happened. Her older brother Cole said she fell out of the window," said Van Deusen.

Alison says Rileigh fell out of the second story window.

She thinks her brother may have opened the window near their bunk bed.

"Cole probably got warm in his room, so he opened his window, and Rileigh probably peeked her head out and accidentally fell," said Van Deusen.

24 Hour News 8 went to the experts to determine what parents need to know to protect their kids.

"Young children especially are top heavy, especially their heads. We want to make sure they're very actively supervised, but you never want to put anything by windows, especially toys, cribs, dressers or anything that children can stand on to give them even more access," said Kim Francis of the Safe Kids Coalition.

This family is grateful Rileigh will be able to walk away from the close call.

"Her dad says she is smiling and wanting to run around but they have to keep her there for testing to make sure," said Van Deusen.

The Safe Kids Coalition says in addition to moving items away from windows, another thing parents can do is use window locks or window guards.

Both are available at many hardware stores.


By Jessica Leffler

Toddler falls from second-story window

HOLLAND (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - A toddler fell from a second story window while playing with a sibling.

Police say a husband and wife were driving by when they noticed the two small kids sticking their heads out the window. The two stopped and knocked on the door to let the parents know because they didn't feel it was safe. At the same time they told to kids to get back in the house. The children didn't listen and continued to throw their cloths out the window.

The couple didn't get an immediate response so they went to the neighbors for help. When they came back they found that the toddler had fallen from the window.

The 21-month-old child suffered head injuries but was conscious and alert. The mother was in the house at the time but didn't know what the kids were doing upstairs because she had put them to bed.