GUILTY IN BOSTON

The Appeal Decision: 06/16/98
Well, the saga of Louise Woodward seems to have concluded today, when the Massachusetts Supreme Court upheld her reduced sentence and conviction by a margin of 4-3. Woodward is now free to return home to England. See the whole story at CNN.
What do you think about this decision? Sound-off on our message board with your opinions.

The Appeal Update: 04/16/98
In November, 1997, Judge Zobel reduced the 2nd degree murder charge against Louise Woodward to involuntary manslaughter, and Woodward was released from jail. The full text of Judge Zobel's ruling can be found at CNN's site.

The Massachusetts Supreme Court is expected to rule soon on Louise Woodward's appeal. The outcome of this ruling includes several possibilities; Judge Zobel's ruling could be upheld, the jury's 2nd degree murder verdict could be reinstated, or a new trial could be ordered. Foxnews reports,

"The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court said Tuesday that in response to the crush of interest in the British au pair's case, it will release a decision on her fate electronically, notifying reporters and editors by email at 10 am EDT on the day the decision is ready."

The Law Journal Extra will post the ruling when it is released, as will most of the other online news site.

Special Update: 11/06/97
The sentencing for Louise Woodward has been delayed until Monday, November 10, 1997 at the earliest. Judge Hiller B. Zobel has been asked by the defense attorneys to overturn the jury verdict, or to reduce the conviction to a manslaughter charge. If the charges are reduced, Woodward could be released from prison immediately. See the full story at CNN's Web site.

Dateline: 10/31/97
A tragic murder trial concluded yesterday in Boston, Massachusetts; a 19-year-old British nanny received a mandatory life sentence when she was found guilty of second degree murder in the shaking death of eight-month-old Matthew Eappen. Although Louise Woodward, an au pair, from Elton, England, vehemently proclaimed her innocence, the prosecution convinced the jury that Woodward had violently shaken young Matthew to stop his crying, and then slammed his head on a hard surface. Matthew had a two-and-a-half-inch skull fracture and lived for four days on life-support before dying in the hospital on February 9th, 1997.

What can we do, as parents, to help prevent such tragic incidents like this from occurring? Becoming informed is probably the best protection for our children. While this site is dedicated to stay-at-home parents, most of us will need some form of child-care from time-to-time. So, hopefully, the following Internet sites will help us become more aware of the issues of choosing a child-care provider, and of shaken baby syndrome.

• Shaken Baby Syndrome
  It is very important to educate all child-care givers, as well as parents, to NEVER SHAKE A BABY. Especially younger babysitters may be unaware of the dangers involved in shaking an infant.
  Related Internet Sites:
  Information About Shaken Baby Syndrome
  Shaken Baby Campaign
  SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME PREVENTION PLUS
  Handle With Care
  
  
• Choosing a Childcare Provider
  As the Louise Woodward murder case illustrates, you can never be absolutely sure your caregiver will be totally trustworthy. However, there are some measures you can take that are important when choosing a person to watch your children., such as checking references and talking to other parents who have experience with the particular caregiver.
  Related Internet Sites:
  Looking for Day Care?
  CHILD CARE: Practical Steps to Take to Find Quality Care
  

  
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