A 3-month-old boy died on November 13, 2023, in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, as a result of shaken baby syndrome. The child's paternal uncle, Michael Alexander Crowl, 26, of Lake Ariel, was caring for the infant in the home he shared with the baby's father and grandparents when the child began crying. Crowl shook the baby, causing seizures and non-accidental injuries consistent with abusive head trauma. The grandparents were woken and called 911, and the child was airlifted to Geisinger Medical Center where he subsequently died. Crowl admitted to shaking the child and was arrested and charged with criminal homicide. The family had been previously known to child welfare.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Multiple sources describe inflicted injury. The River Reporter states "Crowl admitted to shaking the victim, which caused him to start having seizures." The WNEP article reports "Police believe Michael Crowl, 26, of Lake Ariel, shook a 3-month-old boy in his care." The fatality report states the child presented "with non-accidental injuries and subsequently died as a result of the injuries sustained" and that "the paternal uncle admitted to causing the injuries sustained by the child."
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
The WNEP article states "A doctor's report indicates the baby died of shaken baby syndrome." The River Reporter states "The child was found to have multiple injuries consistent with abusive head trauma." Both shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma are explicitly named.
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
The fatality report explicitly names "the victim child's paternal uncle as the perpetrator" and states "the paternal uncle admitted to causing the injuries sustained by the child." The news articles identify this person as Michael Alexander Crowl, 26, who lived in the same home as the baby's father and grandparents.
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
The fatality report explicitly states: "The family was previously known to child welfare."
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
The River Reporter states: "Crowl was arrested at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Nov. 14. and charged with criminal homicide, a felony." The WNEP article states: "Crowl is charged with criminal homicide and is locked up without bail in Wayne County." The fatality report also notes: "the criminal investigation was pending."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
These fields were populated by an AI model and may contain inaccuracies. Review the links and PDFs provided for verification before citing. Contact [email protected] to report any inaccuracies where corrections are needed.