A 6-week-old Nebraska girl is showing signs of hope after authorities say her mother caused life-threatening injuries that included seven broken ribs and bleeding on both sides of her brain. Twenty-year-old Kayleigh Lowe is accused of slamming the infant’s head against the floor, throwing her in the air, and squeezing her ribs. The baby was taken to a Lincoln hospital on September 13 and later transferred to Children’s Hospital in Omaha, where doctors now believe she will survive but say the brain injuries are permanent.
Investigators say Lowe searched “shaken baby syndrome” on September 2 and took the infant to an emergency room on September 10, then left against medical advice. The state is now working to remove custody, while the baby’s father, 20-year-old Cooper Miller, is seeking custody himself. Miller says his daughter is improving, eating from a bottle again and healing. “Her ribs are healing miraculously,” he said. “There’s been a lot of prayers and a lot of miracles answered. And this one’s one of them.”
Doctors expect to know more about the baby’s prognosis by the end of the month, including whether she can enter rehabilitation. This case is a difficult reminder of how vulnerable newborns are and how critical it is for overwhelmed parents to step away and ask for help. Never shake a baby. If you’re struggling, reach out to a doctor, a helpline, or someone you trust before the moment you can’t take back.
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