Child Abuse Investigation: Forensic Issues Charles Ennis VPD Det. (retired) Police Dispatcher for ECOMM for SW BC

Writing Resources on My Blog: http://caennis.wordpress.com/ Police procedural Medieval arms and armor Occult lexicon

Car 86 Child abuse and neglect investigation

Car 87/88 Dealing with mentally disordered individuals

Attempted Exculpations (My Favorite Excuses From Suspects) “I only had 2 beers” “I only use occasionally” “The babysitter was on the way when I left” “I was only gone for 5 minutes” “I’m (shopping/cleaning/doing laundry) tomorrow” “But they have toys!” “I only hit him lightly”

Forensic Issues

Children frequently fall or bump into things Skin over lower legs, forearms & face easily crushed, causing bruises Skin over padded parts of anatomy such as buttocks hard to bruise

Primary Target Zone Back from neck down to the back of the knees, including the shoulders and the entire length of the victim’s arms.

Primary Target Zone (Source: Child Abuse and Neglect, Volcano Press)

Red Flag Areas Ear Neck Back

Common Weapons

Bruise Aging: Color age red Immediate 24 hr Dusky purple/blue black Soon after Green 4-5 days Yellow 7 – 10 days Resolution 14 – 15 days

Linear Bruising

Linear Bruising

Things Mistaken for Bruises Hemophiliacs bruise easily Allergic Rhinitis (inflammation of mucous membrane of the nose) can cause a black eye Migrating bruise from forehead can cause a black eye Cao Gio Cupping Mongolian Spots

Hemophilia

Allergic Rhinitis

Mongolian Spots 95 % of Black children 81% of Hispanic children 10% of White children

Mongolian Spots

Cao Gio: A common fever remedy in Asia

Cupping: Another Fever Remedy

Shaken Baby Violent shaking of the baby, causing injury similar to whiplash suffered by victims of motor vehicle accidents. The brain is thrown about inside the skull, causing torn blood vessels and bruising.

Shaken Baby Stats: 1,000 to 1,500 infants/year. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Of the almost 2,000 children who die from abuse or neglect each year, shaken baby syndrome accounts for 10%-12% Victims commonly between 3 and 8 months old; however, it has been reported in newborns and in children up to 4 years of age. 25% of all children diagnosed with shaken baby syndrome die from their injuries.

Shaken Baby Syndrome Causes: Infants have very weak neck muscles and large and heavy heads in proportion to their bodies. In addition, because the infant brain is immature and needs room to grow, there is naturally a virtual space between the skull and brain to allow for development. Violently shaking an infant can cause the brain to move within the skull, resulting in cerebral contusions (bruising of brain tissue) and shearing (tearing) of blood vessels. Most commonly, the injuries associated with shaken baby syndrome include bleeding around the brain (subdural and subarachnoid hemorrhages), bleeding in the eyes (retinal hemorrhages), and spinal cord or neck injuries.

Shaken Baby Symptoms: Injuries may not be immediately noticeable. These symptoms are caused by the developing increased pressure within the brain (intracranial pressure) caused by brain hemorrhages and swelling: Irritability Pale or blue skin Vomiting Lethargy Breathing difficulties Seizures

ACCIDENTAL BURNS Usually the result of glancing contact Typically affect small area Usually located on an extremity Accidental cigarette burn: irregular in shape Appear on parts of body not normally clothed

DELIBERATE BURNS Result from prolonged contact Usually symmetrical and deep Have well defined margins Located in suspicious areas (eg: buttocks) Deliberate cigarette burn: Regular shape Commonly found on palms, soles of feet, buttocks

ACCIDENTAL IMMERSION BURNS Children do not accidentally burn themselves in the bathtub by playing with the taps or by putting their hands in hot liquids in the kitchen. Affect a small area of skin Usually at extremities Irregular with slurred margins

DELIBERATE IMMERSION BURNS Typically cover large area Clearly delineated margin

Deliberate 3rd degree burn

Weapon used:

Impetigo (streptococcal infection: often mistaken for a cigarette burn)

Cigarette Burn Scars

Puncture Wound Scars

Other Symptoms of Child Abuse Deterioration of health and personal hygiene Failure to thrive Aggressive behavior Sexually inappropriate behavior Regressive behavior Fear of a particular person or place Fear of abandonment Sleep disturbances or nightmares Withdrawal from family and friends Poor performance in school Truancy

What a mess!

What a mess 2

Contact Me: C.A. Ennis blog: http://caennis.wordpress.com/ Email: cuhulain@telus.net Twitter: @warriorwitch Facebook: Kerr Cuhulain