Jose Herreros, 26, attacked the nine-week-old child (Image: Edinburgh Live)
A care assistant who violently shook a nine-week-old baby boy, leaving him with horrific injuries, is facing a significant prison sentence. Jose Herreros, 26, assaulted the infant by grabbing him, lifting him up and shaking him forcefully at a house in Newtongrange, Midlothian.
The terrifying incident, which took place between May 27 and 30, 2022, left the baby with 11 fractured bones in his ribs and both legs. Fortunately, Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that the boy has fully recovered from his injuries.
Herreros admitted to assaulting the child to his severe injury and endangering his life when he appeared in court on Thursday. Prosecutors prepared a written account of the assault on the child ahead of the court hearing.
Fiscal depute Matthew Miller revealed that the part-time care assistant was tasked with looking after the child while the baby’s mother was in hospital in May 2022. A health worker visited the property for a routine check the following month and noticed a bruise on the child’s right cheek.
The boy was taken to Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Children for an assessment where additional bruises were found on his cheek and nose. Medical staff conducted two “skeletal surveys” on the child, revealing further injuries including three fractured ribs and four fractures in each leg,
The court heard that medical professionals found “no plausible medical explanation” for the child’s injuries, concluding that they were the result of abusive behaviour. According to doctors, the baby’s injuries indicated that they had been “gripped tightly and shaken”, possibly over a brief period of just 30 seconds, and required protection from further significant harm.
The child was subsequently placed in emergency foster care. Herreros later contacted the authorities, confessing to his actions.
In an email to police on June 28, 2022, he wrote: “Can you come and interview me, I think I did the ribs.”
“I have shaken [the child] once and after hearing it was a shake I think it was me. It was ages ago but please come.”
During a police interview, he claimed: “I swear on [the child’s] life it wasn’t that hard.”
Sheriff Christopher Dickson granted Herreros bail, deferring sentencing until January next year to allow for the preparation of social work reports.