Did Brooke Kessler kill her child because of postpartum depression? Hurricane, West Virginia mom charged with death of 16 week old newborn baby daughter.
A West Virginia mother has been charged with the death of her 16 week old newborn after the girl was taken off life support after suffering serious allegedly at the hands of her mother.
Brooke Kessler’s 16-day-old daughter was admitted to a Charleston hospital with various injuries that appeared non-accidental. The baby died on Sunday after being taken off life according to WCHS.
A criminal complaint cited the child suffering brain injuries, a broken arm, six broken ribs, and bruising on the throat, head, and left eye. Cited injuries also included bruising around the throat and the back of the head and bruising around the left eye.
Come Monday, Kessler, 32, of Hurricane, Putnam County, was charged with Death of a child by parent or guardian, WSAZ reported.
Troopers say they were called to CAMC Women’s & Children’s Hospital on June 20 in regards to a 16-day-old baby that was unresponsive.
Investigators determined that the baby had died from serious injuries. They say the injuries were suspicious in nature and not accidental.
During police questioning, Kessler said she put her hand around the baby’s neck and on the back of her head when she was burping her because she was ‘irritated with the baby and herself and probably squeezed too hard causing those injuries.’
‘Ms. Kessler stated she did not intend to squeeze that hard,’ the criminal complaint continued. ‘Ms. Kessler also stated that the ribs may have broken when she picked the baby up by the chest to burp her and she was irritated and squeezed the baby too hard, possibly breaking the ribs.’
Kessler’s husband allegedly told police that his wife has postpartum depression, and had been ‘behaving aggressively,’ towards the newborn.
Notes the Cleveland Clinic: ‘Postpartum depression is a type of depression that happens after having a baby. It affects up to 15% of people. People with postpartum depression experience emotional highs and lows, frequent crying, fatigue, guilt, anxiety and may have trouble caring for their baby. Postpartum depression can be treated with medication and counseling.’
Adds NIH, ‘While women experiencing baby blues tend to recover quickly, PPD tends to last longer and severely affects women’s ability to return to normal function. PPD affects the mother and her relationship with the infant. Maternal brain response and behavior are compromised in PPD.’
Kessler was initially charged on Friday with child abuse, strangulation, and malicious assault. The charges were upgraded to death of a child by a parent following her daughter’s death.
Reports indicated that Kessler is awaiting arraignment on the new charges.
