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ID's upcoming docuseries, The Killer Nanny, will focus on the shocking Matthew Eappen murder trial. Matthew Eappen was an eight-month-old infant who died after suffering from massive brain damage, which is believed to be caused by the shaken baby syndrome.
Matthew Eappen's au pair, Louise Woodward, was accused of violently shaking the infant and was arrested a day after Matthew was taken to the hospital after experiencing trouble breathing. She was ultimately convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Ahead of The Killer Nanny's premiere on Investigation Discovery, read on to find out more details about Matthew Eappen's parents.
ID's Killer Nanny: Who are Matthew Eappen's parents?
Matthew Eappen was born on May 24, 1996, to Deborah and Sunil Eappen. Both are doctors who reportedly lived in Boston in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. According to the Sun, Deborah worked as an ophthalmologist in Wellesley, while Sunil worked as an anesthesiologist in Boston. The couple also has three other children named Brendan, Kevin, and Elisabeth.
As per A&E, on February 4, 1997, Matthew Eappen's au pair, Louise Woodward, made an emergency call reporting that the eight-month-old infant was experiencing trouble breathing. At the time, Eappen's parents were reportedly not home, and their two children were under the care of Woodward. Earlier, it was reported that the couple had problems with Louise's services and had issued her a warning.
Matthew was subsequently taken to the Children's Hospital in Boston, where the doctors concluded that he'd suffered from shaken baby syndrome and had severe injuries, including a skull fracture, bleeding in between the skull and the brain and at the back of his eyes.
The child passed away five days later, on February 9, 1997. Louise Woodward was arrested a day after the baby was admitted to the hospital and was accused of violently shaking the infant. She was ultimately charged with first-degree murder. The trial began in October that year, wherein the prosecution argued that Matthew's symptoms were proof that he was ''violently shaken,'' as per A&E.
The defense argued that the baby had sustained injuries weeks prior to the alleged incident. Both sides presented medical evidence, further complicating the case. While Woodward admitted to shaking the baby, she said that she was never violent. The jury, however, found her guilty of second-degree murder and she was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole until 15 years.
Her legal team subsequently filed for appeal, following which her sentence was reduced to involuntary manslaughter. She was sentenced to 279 days in prison, which she'd already served by then, as a result of which she was released from jail. Deborah and Sunil were reportedly not happy after the conviction was overturned. In an interaction with TIME magazine, Deborah said,
''Louise took away Matthew, and the judge took away justice.''
ID's Killer Nanny: Matthew Eappen's parents' current whereabouts
After Woodward's release from prison, Deborah and Sunil reportedly filed a civil lawsuit against her in order to prevent her from earning any profit from selling her story. They won the lawsuit. The couple later founded the Matty Eappen foundation to spread awareness about the shaken baby syndrome. According to Hello! magazine, the couple mentioned in a statement,
''This foundation was established in his memory to improve the safety and welfare of children by educating the public about the dangers of shaking a child and to provide assistance to victims and their families.''
Deborah and Sunil continue to work as ophthalmologist and anesthesiologist, respectively, in Massachusetts.
Don't forget to catch ID's The Killer Nanny on Sunday, August 21, 2022.
