Oak Lawn Dad Accused of Shaking 8-Week-Old Baby Faces Homicide Charge

OAK LAWN, IL — The Cook County Medical Examiner has ruled the death of 8-week-old Adaline Janiszewski a homicide, after she suffered injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome, police said. The Oak Lawn infant died on Sunday at Advocate Children’s Hospital.

The father, Edward Janiszewski, 37, of Oak Lawn, was charged with aggravated battery to a child, a Class X felony. Janiszewski posted a $7,500 following a bond hearing June 4 at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building in Chicago. His daughter died the following day.

Staff at Advocate Children’s in Oak Lawn alerted the hospital child abuse team when the infant brought in on May 30 unresponsive. Doctors diagnosed the child with severe head and brain trauma, consistent with shaken baby syndrome, police said.

The father was brought in for an interview, where police said Janiszewski admitted to shaking the baby and slamming her head on a cushion during the early morning hours of May 30.

An autopsy performed Wednesday morning by the medical examiner indicated that the baby died from craniocerebral injuries and ruled her death a homicide.

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office upgraded the charges to first-degree murder following the autopsy results. Janiszewski was taken back into custody and will appear for a bond hearing Friday in Bridgeview.