Nicosia, Cyprus. Children’s right commissioner Elena Pericleous said the hospitalisation of a three-month-old infant with shaken baby syndrome has exposed gaps in support for new parents and called for preventive state intervention. She said criminal prosecution alone is not sufficient.
Call for preventive intervention
Pericleous said the case highlighted the intense pressure faced by parents after the birth of a child, including anxiety, physical and psychological exhaustion and severe sleep deprivation, which can cumulatively lead to a loss of control.
She described shaken baby syndrome as “an extremely serious and dangerous practice” that directly endangers the life and health of infants and “cannot be tolerated under any circumstances”.
She said investigating each incident and preventing recurrence are a “non-negotiable obligation of the state and all competent bodies”.
Education and care system
Pericleous said accountability through investigation and trial is essential, but punishment after an incident is not enough.
“Focusing exclusively on criminal prosecution ignores the root of the problem,” she said, adding that the state must intervene preventively by addressing conditions that can lead parents to abusive behaviour.
She said the education of parents and caregivers must be reinforced, both on ways to calm infants and on the consequences of shaking.
“Only through a coherent and functional care system can the state prevent abuse, support parenthood and ensure in practice the protection, life, health and development of every child,” she added.
Arrest and infant’s condition
Pericleous’ comments followed the arrest of a 28-year-old father in Nicosia this week after his three-month-old son was admitted to Makarios children’s hospital and diagnosed with shaken baby syndrome.
The infant on Friday remained in critical condition, was still on ventilation and was being closely monitored, with no change reported in his condition.
What measures do you think the state should prioritise to better support new parents and prevent infant abuse?
