Opinion ID: 1690547
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: PEOPLE v CRAFT

Text: In People v Craft, we are not persuaded that sufficient evidence was presented to support admission under MRE 803(4) of the child's statement of identification to the physician. The victim was only four years old, making it more difficult to establish that she understood the need to be truthful to her physician. The circumstances surrounding the examination of the child, during which the defendant was named as the assailant, do not adequately establish that this child knew she must speak truthfully to her physician. Because of the need for frequent urination and a discharge in her underwear, the child's teachers notified protective services and the police. After her mother was also notified, the child was examined by a physician, who noted that the child's vaginal opening was larger than expected of a four-year-old child, and the hymen was not intact. No lacerations or scarring was noticed, however. The child did not implicate defendant as the person having sexual contact with her, although she did indicate that a boy had touched her. This examination was the first indication by the child that some sexual assault or encounter may have occurred. The second examination of the child was conducted by a different doctor, and took place after the child was removed from her home. The foster mother noticed a discharge in the child's underwear, and brought her to the doctor to determine the source of the discharge. Through the physician's testimony, the record shows that the victim identified defendant as her assailant in response to general questions regarding who might have touched her. The child understood that defendant had put his weenie, which was straight, and a rubber on his weenie in her genital area. The child indicated by pointing to her genital area where her assailant's weenie would be on him. Such knowledge of the mechanics of sexual intercourse strengthens the assertion that this child did not fabricate her story, and the mother of the victim admitted that she knew no reason why the child would lie, nor how she would know of the mechanics of sexual intercourse, aside from the possibility that the child witnessed her mother and defendant engaged in intercourse. [37] An investigation of possible sexual abuse was ongoing during that time, however, and we cannot conclude from this record whether the child was influenced in her accusation of the defendant. The initial examination of the child took place two days after the alleged assault. The child resided with her family at that time, and she did not accuse defendant of any wrongdoing during that examination. The child was then removed from her home and placed in foster care. Several weeks later, she was examined again by a different physician, during which examination the child implicated the defendant as her assailant. The passage of time between the two examinations, as well as the participation of investigative authorities before the examination during which the child indicated that defendant had assaulted her, demonstrates the insufficiency of the evidence presented in support of the application of MRE 803(4). The physician in Craft testified that the purpose of her examination and questions was to determine the source of the vaginal discharge. She also established her opinion that information regarding the identity of the assailant was not necessary to proper diagnosis, but was necessary for treatment and reporting. It was very important to determine if an adult male had penetrated the child in order to screen for sexually transmitted diseases. The doctor considered the identification of the assailant to be necessary for treatment and reporting in that she did not pursue further diagnostic studies of the victim's secondary complaint of incontinence because she wanted to see how the child healed outside the home. The identification of the assailant was reasonably necessary with reference to the placement and the physical and psychological treatment of the child. While perhaps the information necessary for treatment of an ailment that is capable of diagnosis without that knowledge falls within MRE 803(4), we do not resolve that issue because we believe that an analysis of the totality of the circumstances does not support the finding that the statement was made with the requisite understanding by the declarant to speak the truth to her physician. We therefore affirm the decisions of the Court of Appeals in People v Meeboer and People v Craft, and reverse the decision of the Court of Appeals in People v Conn.