HUDDERSFIELD MOTHER AVOIDS JAIL AFTER SHAKING CRYING BABY
A stay-at-home mother who struggled to cope with her crying children has avoided jail after shaking her seven-month-old son twice in one day.Beata Krafczyk, of Church Avenue in Crosland Moor, Huddersfield, was responsible for her child's injuries, which included a brain haemorrhage, bleeding in an eye, fractures to three ribs and one to his wrist.
The incident occurred sometime between December 5, 2017, and January 18, 2018.
The baby's parents expressed concern about his head being disproportionate in December 2017, and further examinations confirmed serious injuries after he was taken to hospital.
Leeds Crown Court heard that the injuries indicated a 'severe, repetitive, rotational acceleration and deceleration movement or severe impact to his head'.
Krafczyk admitted to shaking her son after he was crying and seemingly teething, and described her actions in court as letting her son go several inches above the mattress, then realizing her mistake.
She explained that she was overwhelmed as she was caring for two children with limited support and was under 'immense pressure'.
She stated she did not realize his injuries could have been caused by her actions and initially denied responsibility.
Later, she told police she shook her son when he was crying and that she 'immediately realised what she had done was wrong' before leaving the room to calm down.
The court noted that the child's condition was problematic beforehand and that she delayed seeking treatment to hide the injuries.
Krafczyk, who had no prior convictions, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm last month.
She was sentenced to a year and eight months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete a 20-day rehabilitation activity.
The judge described the act as 'a terrible thing' that was caused by the pressure of caring for two young children.
The court also entered a formal not guilty verdict on a child cruelty charge.
The mother cried throughout the hearing, and the children, who were fostered by her sister but returned to their father in December 2018, are now under supervised contact arrangements.
The boy is recovering, now walking and making progress.
The child's father, Dawid Malek, 33, expressed hope for family reunion, and hardship due to her depression and her mother's illness in Poland was cited as contributing factors.
