Elmont Woman Gets 4 Years for Violently Shaking Infant

Candanedo shook 8-month-old daughter when she couldn’t get her to stop crying

MINEOLA, NY - Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced today that an Elmont woman who violently shook, and permanently injured, her eight-month-old daughter when the child would not stop crying, has been sentenced to four years in prison by a Nassau County judge.

Anna Candanedo, 25, pleaded guilty to Reckless Assault of a Child on May 20.

Rice said that on the morning of January 7, 2009, Candanedo was unable to get her infant daughter to stop crying. Candanedo then picked the baby up by the midsection and violently shook her. Candanedo called 911 after the baby became unresponsive. The child was also in respiratory distress.

As a result, the baby suffered swelling of the brain and required a craniotomy, a procedure where a piece of the skull is removed and stored in a patient’s abdominal cavity until the brain swelling can subside. The removed portion of the skull is then reattached. Authorities also discovered a number of pre-existing injuries, including multiple rib fractures, fractures to the right humerus and ulna, and multiple sub-dermal hematomas.

Rice said it is unknown what the baby’s future prognosis will be, but that in shaken-baby cases babies often suffer immediate and permanent neurological injuries. Often times, the baby does not make a complete recovery.

The daughter and her twin brother, as well as Candanedo’s three older children are all currently in the care of the Nassau County Department of Social Services.

Rice added that the Nassau County Department of Social Services offers classes, counseling, and in-home assistance for young parents overwhelmed by the responsibilities of taking care of an infant.

“The abuse of a child is among the most heart-wrenching and violent crimes there is, and it deserves severe punishment,” Rice said. “I strongly encourage parents to get educated and get help if they find themselves overwhelmed by the responsibilities of child care. The resources are available.”

Assistant District Attorney Silvia Finkelstein of the Special Victims Bureau is handling the case for the DA’s Office. The defendant is represented by the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County.