Opinion ID: 1345635
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Alleged Sexual Abuse Testimony

Text: Ellen Rupp, a pediatrician at Boys Town National Research Hospital, testified that she conducted an examination of B.R. and E.B. in response to issues that the girls' foster family had expressed concerning sexualized behavior by B.R. at the foster home. Rupp testified that according to the foster family, B.R. would hump other children, refer to sex acts, and touch her private parts frequently in public and in private. Rupp testified that E.B. also demonstrated some of these behaviors, but she more often complained of pain, particularly at night, and would sometimes awaken complaining of pain. No objection was made regarding this testimony. Rupp testified that during her examination of B.R., she noticed that B.R.'s hymen was thickened. She explained that the thickening of the hymen can be the result of trauma, such as scratches from fingers or something being inserted into the vagina. However, it can also result from getting estrogens in the diet, such as hormonally treated meat, certain kinds of plastic, and eating birth control pills. Although the latter causes are unusual, Rupp testified that recently, they are not that uncommon. Rupp further testified that based on observations made during the physical examination, she could not say with a reasonable degree of medical certainty whether B.R. had been sexually abused. She did, however, request that B.R. and E.B. be seen at Project Harmony, a facility which provides services to suspected victims of child abuse. LaJean Henry, a licensed foster parent who fostered the children in her home on or about March 19, 2004, for about 30 days as an emergency placement, also testified. Henry testified that she had observed B.R. humping E.B. and that the girls would kiss each other on the mouth. Henry testified that she had discussed with B.R. good touching and bad touching and that B.R. had indicated that she had experienced bad touching. Specifically, Henry testified that B.R. told her that somebody put their pinkie in her. Henry believed that the somebody B.R. was referring to was Billy. Testimony was also received from Sheryl Overby, a therapist with Lutheran Family Services. Overby began seeing B.R. in May 2004, and at the time of the adjudication hearing, she had conducted approximately 23 therapy sessions with B.R. Overby testified that during the course of their sessions, B.R. made several references to her daddy touching her genitalia and had stated that she touched her daddy's pee-pee. On cross-examination, Overby testified that she had four sessions with B.R. before B.R. made any reference to any kind of touching and that during 18 or 19 of their sessions, B.R. did not mention any type of sexual abuse. She also testified that B.R. had made no reference to sexual abuse prior to Overby's introducing a book about sexual abuse and that questions about sexual abuse had been introduced into therapy for the purpose of eliciting information. In addition, Billy and Crystal were each called to testify. When Crystal was asked if Billy had inappropriately touched B.R. or E.B., she invoked her Fifth Amendment constitutional right against self-incrimination. When Billy was asked if he had ever inappropriately touched the girls, he testified that he had not.