Opinion ID: 4469365
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Testimony of Dr. Doerrige

Text: Dr. Doerrige was the emergency room physician who treated minor son at Wahiawa General Hospital on September 22, 2014. She conducted a basic physical examination of minor son, and noticed a deformity in his left leg with soft tissue swelling. After discovering an “obvious” left femur fracture, she ordered x-rays and a whole body x-ray called a babygram. Dr. Doerrige diagnosed minor son with a left transverse slightly angulated significantly displaced fracture of the left femur as well as some soft tissue swelling at the site of the fracture. Dr. Doerrige also opined that, had minor son not been treated, the fracture could have caused serious permanent disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of the function of his left leg, and that one leg would have been significantly shorter than the other, which would have prevented minor son from running, jumping, hopping, and skipping. Dr. Doerrige further opined that minor son’s injury was not consistent with jumping and falling off of a bed onto a carpeted floor. She testified that the femur is a very strong bone that is difficult to break. She testified: The story wasn’t very consistent because, one, most kids . . . learn to jump between ages of 24 months and 36 months. So the jumping aspect was a little suspect. He might be advanced for his age. And then the fact that it probably would be greater force than that. Not like a twostory bed, but a two-story building that would have that kind of force to generate that kind of fracture. 12  FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAIʻI REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER  Dr. Doerrige also testified that femur fractures are notoriously painful and that most children would be crying; in a great deal of distress; and unable to walk, stand, or sleep through the night. Dr. Doerrige also related that while she treated minor son for his injury, Williams was apathetic, “[v]ery aloof and was off to the side. Was texting on his cell phone.” She also observed Williams giving minor son fist bumps when minor son was crying after coming back from being x-rayed. Dr. Doerrige then testified State’s Exhibits 10, 11, and 12 showed differing views of a femur fracture, the femur fracture in those exhibits was consistent with her diagnosis and examination of minor son, and the x-rays were a “fair and accurate depiction[] . . . of the left femur fracture sustained by [minor son].” Dr. Doerrige testified the upper left corner of the x-rays noted minor son’s name. When the State attempted to move these exhibits into evidence, however, the family court sustained the defense’s objection based on lack of foundation, and these x-rays were never received in evidence. Although Dr. Doerrige had testified she contacted “Child Protective Services” as noted earlier, during cross-examination by the deputy public defender, she also testified she could not rule out accidental trauma. 13  FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAIʻI REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER