This chapter presents an overview of biomechanical forensic analysis (BFA) of injury. Specifically, thefoundational principles of BFA are presented in the context of investigating and analyzing paediatric head injury mechanisms as they relate to two common scenarios encountered in the context of alleged child abuse: shaking and short falls. The chapter highlights the investigative evidence, experimental data, and medical findings upon which a biomechanical forensic analysis relies, and presents a case study and discussion of a short fall and shaking to highlight the evidence base for determining the reasonableness of each injury mechanism and the pitfalls often encountered when such injury mechanisms are considered in allegations of child abuse.

This chapter reviews the evidence showing that short falls may sometimes cause the types of bleeding typically attributed to shaken baby syndrome. Focusing on one seminal article dismissing short falls as a possible cause for fatal injury in infants, it examines in detail the statistical and reasoning errors that allowed the authors to reach their erroneous conclusion, an exercise all the more useful in that these are widespread throughout the literature. Based on numerous publications, the chapter adduces evidence showing that in fact, although they are rare, short falls can be dangerous.