How Did This Newborn Baby Get A Broken Leg?

By Connie K. Grier

Fox 5 out of Atlanta reports that a newborn that has a broken leg is at the center of a police investigation

On January 7, 2014, Nekisha Fears gave birth tom her daughter Harmoni.  On the 7^th, Harmoni had no medical concerns.  On the 9^th, according to Fox news, that changed drastically for the worse.  Fears shared that she could tell something was wrong with her baby’s leg as it was red and swollen.

The doctors placed the newborn in a harness to make her more comfortable, but following hospital and state law, a phone call was made to the Division of Family and Children’s Services so that an investigation could be launched.  According to Fox 5, the 32 year old mother was surprised and offended as she felt that the hospital social worker suggested that she is responsible for the broken leg.

Fears has delivered all five of her children at the Atlanta Medical Center and has never had any issues prior to this.

As Harmoni was not born with the broken leg, suspicion as to its occurrence is obviously high.  There are instances when babies are born with a broken clavicle or shoulder due to delivery trauma.  On the other hand, the bones of a newborn are more pliable than adult bones, so breaking them comes with some form of trauma of its own.  According to WebMD, broken bones can also be a sign of maltreatment from the caregiver.  Symptoms that one should look for include:

Physical abuse often results in cuts, bruises, burns, broken bones, head injuries, and abdominal injuries. These types of injuries may point to physical abuse when:

• They are unlikely to have been caused by an accident, especially for the child’s developmental stage. Geometric patterns or mirror (symmetrical) injuries are suspicious, as are those located on areas of the body that usually are protected, such as the inside of the legs and arms, the back, the genitalia, and the buttocks.
• Explanations change or do not adequately account for how an injury occurred. The history of the injury does not match the actual type of injury, its location, or how long ago it occurred.
• Evidence shows that injuries have occurred previously.
• Medical care for the injury is delayed.

Sharing warm thoughts of recovery with little Harmoni!