Case Name: The STATE of Florida, Appellant, v. Amy EVERETTE, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1988-10-25
Citations: 532 So. 2d 1124
Docket Number: No. 87-1882
Parties: The STATE of Florida, Appellant, v. Amy EVERETTE, Appellee.
Judges: Before BARKDULL, DANIEL S. PEARSON and JORGENSON, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 532
Pages: 1124–1125

Head Matter:
The STATE of Florida, Appellant, v. Amy EVERETTE, Appellee.
No. 87-1882.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
Oct. 25, 1988.
Robert A. Butterworth, Atty. Gen. and Michele L. Crawford, Asst. Atty. Gen., for appellant.
Bennett H. Brummer, Public Defender and Harvey J. Sepler, Asst. Public Defender, for appellee.
Before BARKDULL, DANIEL S. PEARSON and JORGENSON, JJ.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
We review an order granting a motion in limine to restrict the state, after a notice of evi-intention to rely on "other crimes1 dence, pursuant to Section 90.404(2)(b)(l), Fla.Stat. (1979).
An information was filed charging the defendant with child abuse resulting in her infant child's death. The information was in two counts, charging aggravated child abuse, and second degree murder. The infant victim, who was less than twelve months of age, suffered at least four prior injuries while in the care of the defendant in the some thirty days prior to her ultimate death. The trial court's orders excluded conflicting statements of the defendant as to how these injuries occurred, and the child's grandmother from testifying about the prior injuries.
We believe in a child abuse case that reference to prior injuries to the child should be permitted, particularly when compared to the appropriateness of similar evidence in sexual child abuse cases. Coleman v. State, 485 So.2d 1342 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986); Potts v. State, 427 So.2d 822 (Fla. 2d DCA 1983); Cotita v. State, 381 So.2d 1146 (Fla. 1st DCA 1980) We particularly note that this court has previously approved the introduction in evidence of similar crimes in child abuse cases. See Mayberry v. State, 430 So.2d 908 (Fla. 3d DCA 1982).
We therefore reverse the order under review with directions to permit the state, if otherwise appropriate under the evidence code, to introduce evidence of prior injuries.
Reversed and remanded with directions.
BARKDULL and JORGENSON, JJ., concur.