The Taichung District Court has approved a detainment order for a female nurse working at a postpartum nursing center in the city’s Situn District (西屯) for allegedly injuring a 28-day-old boy.
The 37-year-old defendant, surnamed Tseng (曾), has been dismissed from her job, the center said, adding that it would take full responsibility if it is found complicit.
While Tseng, who had been working at the center for four years, has not sworn an affidavit on the incident, she reportedly denied abusing the infant, saying that her “improper actions” were because she was too tired due to excessive work.
Police said that Tseng on May 11 threw the boy onto a table and hit his head multiple times, citing security camera footage from the center.
The boy was rushed to the hospital after a colleague of Tseng noticed abnormalities about the boy.
He was diagnosed with a fractured skull, subarachnoid hemorrhaging and subdural hematoma.
Doctors also said that the boy showed signs of epilepsy.
Newborns, especially those under one month old, have fragile skulls and necks, and should be moved and treated with care, a doctor at the hospital said.
The Taichung District Prosecutors’ Office said earlier this month that Tseng might be sentenced to prison for five to 12 years.
The Taichung Social Affairs Bureau said that the center has been operating for eight years, and was last year investigated for allegedly keeping inaccurate records.
The center could be fined up to NT$30,000 under the Nursing Personnel Act (護理人員法), the bureau said, adding that if the center fails to address the issue, it might be ordered to suspend operations for one month to one year.
Taichung Labor Affairs Bureau Director Chang Ta-chun (張大春) said that Tseng’s tiredness on the day of the incident might have been her own fault or was due to excessive working hours at the center.
Shifts at such facilities are by law limited to eight hours and up to four hours overtime, Chang said, adding that the labor bureau would look into the incident.
Tan Hui-lan (譚慧蘭), a psychological consultant, said that lack of rest and excessive stress might lead to people “blowing up.”
To avoid stress-induced outbursts, people should every day try to engage in activities they like, such as singing, or taking care of pets or plants, instead of going to bed right after work, Tan said.
Additional reporting by Chang Jui-chen
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