As a pediatric emergency room physician working in all three of Atlanta's major pediatric emergency departments, I am gravely concerned with our ability to protect abused children.
Significant problems continue to plague our legal system and child protective services.
When asked what had happened, the caretaker repeatedly denied any injury to the baby, accidental or otherwise. Clearly, the injury was a reason to suspect child abuse. As required by law, the hospital contacted the police and the Department of Family and Children Services. Unfortunately, the detective handling the case disregarded the impassioned pleas of the involved physicians to protect the child, and left the case unresolved, choosing rather to believe the caretaker's story, which had since changed but still did not explain the injury. When I heard that the police were cavalier about the case, I contacted the detective's supervisor, went to the police department and issued another strong statement voicing my concerns.