Parents in shock

Two-month-old baby shaken to death in Vienna

At the General Hospital, the doctors fought in vain to save the little boy's life.

(Bild: Klemens Groh)

Terrible drama surrounding a three-month-old baby in Vienna: a few days ago, the parents brought the little boy to Ottakring Hospital. Diagnosis: severe shaking trauma and fractures. Despite being transferred to the General Hospital, the baby did not survive.

It's a story that will not only give parents of small children a stab in the heart. On February 3, a 29-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman brought their child to Ottakring Hospital. The three-month-old boy was probably already unconscious. In any case, the doctors diagnosed severe shaking trauma - various bones in the little boy's body were probably also broken. 

Massive brain damage
The baby was transferred to the General Hospital, where the doctors fought tirelessly for the life of the boy, who was only born in November 2023. Ultimately in vain - the damage to the brain was too severe. A few days ago, the life-sustaining measures for the little child, who was registered in Liesing together with his mother - a native Serbian with Austrian citizenship - were discontinued. 

At the General Hospital, doctors fought in vain to save the little boy's life.

(Bild: Klemens Groh)

Perpetration is still unclear
It is still unclear who allegedly shook the child so hard that he ultimately died. As the baby was taken to Ottakring Hospital, it is possible that the incident took place in the apartment of the father (who also has Serbian roots) in Fünfhaus.

"No strong suspicion" against the parents
There is currently "no urgent suspicion against the parents that would justify detention", said Nina Bussek, spokesperson for the authorities. The two are currently at large. "We now have to find out what happened in the first place," said Bussek on Thursday afternoon.

Both are in shock and have not yet been questioned. They were at large on Thursday. The presumption of innocence applies to all those involved. 

The couple are not believed to have made any police appearances to date. Vienna's child and youth welfare service (municipal department MA 11) was informed. The Liesing family was also known to the child and youth welfare service, but not for violence or abuse towards children.

Symbolic image

(Bild: thinkstockphotos.de (Symbolbild))

Family asked for financial support
According to the report, the couple have a two-year-old child together who does not live together but is likely to be together. The parents had contacted a family center for child and youth welfare services in March 2023 for financial support. The contact lasted until the beginning of May.

The two-year-old child was now presented to a focus group at the AKH, which determined that the toddler was doing well under the circumstances. He was initially placed with crisis foster parents, where he was well received - including by their own offspring - and immediately encouraged to play.

The spokeswoman said that the child and youth welfare services were looking around the family's environment to see if, for example, close relatives such as uncles and aunts could look after the child. The toddler has already spent a night with an aunt. The parents - apparently on the advice of their legal representatives - did not show up for a meeting with MA 11 to discuss how to proceed with the toddler.

The MA 11 spokeswoman appealed to parents to contact the child and youth welfare service immediately for support if they feel or see any signs of being overwhelmed or even just overtired. The service telephone number 01-4000-8011 is available from Monday to Friday from 8 am to 6 pm.