Baby is dying

Vienna: Baby is dying after shaking trauma

Drama in Vienna-Brigittenau: As the "Krone" has learned, the police are investigating the parents of an infant. They are suspected of having severely abused their newborn. Contradictory statements led to the parents' arrest on Friday. They initially claimed that their five-year-old sister had fallen over the baby.

The baby is currently in the intensive care unit of a hospital with a shaking trauma. Doctors there are currently fighting for the girl's life. The baby's parents are suspected of attempted murder, as police spokesman Philipp Haßlinger emphasizes. Based on the latest findings of the investigation, the Vienna public prosecutor's office ordered the arrest of the young parents on Friday.

Contradictory statements from the parents
Shortly before Christmas, Viennese officials took over the investigation against the 26-year-old father and 22-year-old mother of the baby, who was only two months old at the time. The couple brought the baby to hospital in a critical condition with severe head injuries. The first suspicion was raised by the doctors when the parents made contradictory statements about the cause of the injuries, which is why the police were alerted and an investigation was launched.

During the interrogation, the parents initially stated that the five-year-old sister had fallen over the baby, which is said to have caused the serious head injuries. However, an examination of the baby revealed that older injuries - such as rib fractures - were also detectable and that the severity of the latest injuries could not be explained by the alleged fall. 

Three other children in the care of MA 11
The Municipal Department 11 (MA 11) responsible for child and youth welfare has since taken custody of the couple's three other children. They were taken to a crisis center, whereby one of the toddlers was placed in a crisis foster family, as MA 11 spokeswoman Ingrid Pöschmann announced on Saturday.

As no relatives could be found, the children remain with the authorities. According to Pöschmann, the children are doing well under the circumstances. The spokeswoman said that the case had "shocked us" and that the family had not been known to MA 11 until now. 

Mother insists sister assaulted her
It was not possible to question the father before he was taken to prison. The 22-year-old mother continued to justify herself to the criminal investigation department by claiming that her sister had fallen on the baby. Further investigations, in particular into the question of whether violence was also used against the other children, are still ongoing, according to the police.