Innocent mother is helping to bring wrongful child abuse allegations to light

Their newborn son, just 5 weeks old, was being examined at a local hospital and moved during a scan, producing a blurred line that led to a misdiagnosis of a skull fracture. Despite any further evidence, the Department of Children and Family Services launched a child abuse investigation.

Weidner didn’t know then that some of the medical practices that led to investigations — and, in some cases, convictions — were not always scientifically certain.

“Before this happened to my family, I thought that these kinds of things were pretty straightforward. I didn’t understand that there was medical controversy surrounding these cases,” Weidner said.

As a spokesperson for Pediatric Accountability for Central Illinois, Weidner will be one of four panelists at an event examining some of the complexities in diagnosing and investigating allegations of child abuse that also includes screening of the documentary “The Syndrome.” Weidner said the group is advocating for accountability of doctors, investigators and prosecutors so that innocent families remain intact.

“Child abuse occurs, and it’s tragic. There’s no debate about that,” Weidner said. “The film and the discussion panel is about highlighting the medical and legal practices that lead to wrongful allegations of abuse.”

“The Syndrome” is a 2014 documentary that challenges the science behind diagnoses of shaken baby syndrome and its role in the criminal justice system.

A shaken baby syndrome diagnosis has long been identified in hospitals and introduced as evidence in courtrooms. The debate on its merit as discussed in “The Syndrome” has stirred controversy, with many medical experts adhering to the traditional school of thought that a trio of symptoms — bleeding on the surface of the brain, brain swelling and bleeding at the back of the eyes — is always indicative of shaken baby syndrome, while a smaller number of doctors suggest alternative diagnoses.

The result of such a misdiagnosis, Weidner said, isn’t just harming the falsely accused but also could be leaving children vulnerable.

“When resources are being diverted to wrongful allegations of abuse, less resources are available for those who really need them, including children who are actually being abused,” she said.