Opinion ID: 2507269
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the police investigation of the April 16, 2001 incident

Text: Prior to Minor being transferred to the KMC, Lieutenant Yamashita was again called to the MMMC to investigate Minor's injuries. Lieutenant Yamashita spoke with Ruby, who informed him that she believed that Denise had permission from CPS to take Minor to Daryl's house while the femur fracture investigation was being completed. FOF No. 153. He also interviewed Dr. Tasaki, who informed him that the force of injuries was equivalent to the force sustained in a severe car crash. FOF No. 154 (citation to the transcript omitted). Additionally, Victoria Schneider, M.D. (Dr. Schneider), a consultant at the KMC and, who was qualified at trial as an expert in the field of pediatrics, was brought in to determine the cause of Minor's injuries. FOF No. 176. Dr. Schneider's examination and conclusion are set forth in FOF Nos. 177 through 182: 177. On April 17, Dr. Schneider informed Ms. Brewerton that [Minor]'s abdominal injuries likely came from a severe blow such as a punch or kick[,] causing the organs to have been pressed against the vertebrae and the back. 178. On April 22, Dr. Schneider prepared a four-page consultation report which concluded that [Minor]'s injuries were the result of child abuse. 179. The nature of the injuries to [Minor] led Dr. Schneider to believe that [Minor] sustained the rib and clavicle fractures between April 12 and April 18. She opined that the injuries occurred from either a single traumatic event or different traumatic events during that time period. 180. Dr. Schneider concluded that [Minor]'s injuries were on the most severe end and would have caused [Minor] to suffer extreme pain. 181. Dr. Schneider saw evidence of direct impact trauma, direct contact forces, and shaking injuries in [Minor]. Dr. Schneider defined shaking injuries as those that typically occur when a child is violently shaken by a perpetrator. Dr. Schneider further stated, You don't see those kinds of bleeds inside the head when a child falls down. This is from . . . the head severely speeding up and slowing down as you see when a child is violently shaken. These are very specific findings in a young child for a shaken baby syndrome. 182. Dr. Schneider ultimately diagnosed [Minor] with battered child syndrome, which she defined as occurring[ ] when a child presents with numerous types of injuries from different types of trauma to the child's body from child abuse. (Citations to the transcripts, trial exhibits, and original emphasis omitted.) Lieutenant Yamashita's investigation eventually led to his arrest of Denise on charges of assault in the second degree and abuse of a family or household member; however, neither Denise nor anyone else was ever prosecuted in relation to Minor's April 16, 2001 injuries. FOF No. 183.