A mother who violently shook her baby son in Chaves in 2022 has now seen the Court of Appeal sentence her to five years in prison. Judges also handed down the same sentence to the child’s stepfather, who was originally registered as his son.
Beatriz Mendes and Andre Fernandez were given suspended sentences of five years earlier this year. The prosecution appealed and now sees that the judges have agreed. The magistrates did not increase the sentences, but they made the convictions effective.
It was proven in court that between July 21, 2022 and August 4 of the same year, Santiago violently shook the couple. The sudden and cruel motives caused a brain hemorrhage in the baby, who was only three months old. Santiago had seizures and was hospitalized twice with risk to his life.