A professionally trained childminder is currently on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, facing charges of having caused serious harm to an infant.
The incident took place in March of 2012 when the child’s mother dropped her then 10-month-old daughter to her childminder Sandra Higgins’ home in Cavan.
Somewhat later in the day, however, the child’s mother received a call from Higgins telling her that her baby had suffered what Higgins described as a ‘seizure.’
“Sandra told me that my daughter was sitting down on the floor playing when she vomited and had a seizure,” the mother said.
When she arrived at the hospital her child was unconscious. She noticed the baby had a swelling between her eyebrows and asked the accused what had happened.
Prosecutor Alice Fawsitt told the jury they would hear evidence that when Higgins presented the child at Cavan General Hospital the baby was suffering seizures and had extensive bruising around the face and head. Opening the case, Fawsitt said that a medical expert would say that “shaken baby syndrome” was the most likely cause of these seizures and retinal haemorrhaging and a detached retina.
An investigation was launched after the baby was hospitalised, where the child’s mother told gardaí that she was concerned that some of the entries in a childminding diary kept by Higgins had been changed or added.
The mother also explained as part of the investigation that the child has previously suffered some bumps and bruises when in the care of Higgins that she had had some questions about.
Higgins has pleaded not guilty, and the trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury of six men and six women.
