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Chapter 14 - Biomechanical Forensic Analysis of Shaking and Short-Fall Head Injury Mechanisms in Infants and Young Children

from Section 3 - Science

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 June 2023

By
Kirk Thibault
Edited by
Keith A. Findley ,
Cyrille Rossant ,
Kana Sasakura ,
Leila Schneps ,
Waney Squier  and
Knut Wester
Keith A. Findley
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Cyrille Rossant
Affiliation:
University College London
Kana Sasakura
Affiliation:
Konan University, Japan
Leila Schneps
Affiliation:
Sorbonne Université, Paris
Waney Squier
Affiliation:
John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford
Knut Wester
Affiliation:
Universitetet i Bergen, Norway
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Summary

This chapter presents an overview of biomechanical forensic analysis (BFA) of injury. Specifically, thefoundational principles of BFA are presented in the context of investigating and analyzing paediatric head injury mechanisms as they relate to two common scenarios encountered in the context of alleged child abuse: shaking and short falls. The chapter highlights the investigative evidence, experimental data, and medical findings upon which a biomechanical forensic analysis relies, and presents a case study and discussion of a short fall and shaking to highlight the evidence base for determining the reasonableness of each injury mechanism and the pitfalls often encountered when such injury mechanisms are considered in allegations of child abuse.

Keywords

biomechanical forensic analysishead injury mechanismsbiomechanical case studybiomechanicsshort fallsshaking
Type
Chapter
Information
Shaken Baby Syndrome
Investigating the Abusive Head Trauma Controversy
 , pp. 218 - 235
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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