TOLEDO, Ohio — The Lucas County Prosecutor's Office is launching a new initiative to prevent shaken baby deaths.
The series of public service announcements were prompted by the homicides of two Lucas County children, 5-month-old Aria Genna and 3-year-old Declan Hill, in October, the prosecutor's office said. Aria and Declan's deaths were caused by blunt force trauma allegedly caused by their caregivers.
The two separate cases led the prosecutor's office to consider why shaken baby syndrome happens as often as it does.
The shaken baby syndrome awareness PSAs are meant to be attention-grabbing and use the repetitive sound of a child crying.
In one of the PSAs Lucas County Prosecutor Julia Bates says "if you're frustrated, if your child is not hungry, is not wet, is not sick and is crying, you just have to let it cry. Walk away."
The PSAs are accompanied by marketing materials with the phrase "it's ok just walk away" and hashtag #itsokjustwalkaway.
"You don't die from crying, but you do die from shaking," Bates said.
The PSAs are also educational with information from Lucas County Coroner Dr. Diane Scala-Barnette explaining how shaking a baby can lead to permanent brain damage or death.
"The head is very heavy for a baby's neck muscles, which are not fully developed yet," Scala-Barnette said.
Bates added that charges for shaking an infant can lead to a prison sentence of "20, 30, life without parole or the death penalty."
The timing is meaningful, with the PSA campaign launching during Child Abuse Prevention Month.
The Lucas County Prosecutor's Office planted 179 pinwheels outside the courthouse to represent the number of child victims involved in cases presented to the Special Victim Prosecutors in both Lucas County Common Pleas and Juvenile courts.
Meanwhile, Lucas County Children Services says 1,400 children were victims of abuse and neglect in 2022. Interim Director, Donna Seed says not only is it okay to walk away from a crying child, but it's also okay to ask for help and that doesn't mean you'll lose your child if you do.
"This is a preventable issue. With the correct supports in place and with the right education that reaches the public. This is an issue we can altogether begin to combat," Seed said.
Along with the PSAs, the prosecutor's office plans to give away magnets with phone numbers to call for help.