Shaking the life out of them: Children's Center shaken baby simulator illustrates effects of abusive act

Gripping its chest, Children's Center of Southwest Missouri Director Kathi Olson aggressively shakes a life-like doll fitted with lights indicating brain centers. As she shakes, portions of the brain light up when the shaking is likely to cause damage to that area of the brain in a child. In this picture, the area at the back of the head -- the vision centers of the brain -- is lighted. When all of the lights are illuminated, the child would be comatose or dead. Olson's demonstration was part of a presentation about child abuse and the Children's Center, Thursday, at a Nevada Rotary Club luncheon.