Court Opinion

ID: 9519316
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 01:13:58.708336+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:44:17.409931
License: Public Domain

Brown, J.
(concurring). I fully concur in the opinion of the court affirming the verdict of manslaughter. I note, however, that, most regrettably, none of the doctors or other persons involved in treating Jason on his several visits to the hospital emergency rooms between January and September, 1974, reported the possibility of abuse to the Department of Public Welfare as required by G. L. *82c. 119, § 51A.1 Such a report could possibly have saved Jason’s life.
A cause of action may lie in tort on behalf of a battered child against persons named in the statute for failure to report a probable case of child abuse, where subsequently there is further injury to the child. See Commonwealth v. Cadwell, 374 Mass. 308, 319 n.8 (1978). In addition, an attending physician may be subject to personal liability for the consequences of any negligent failure to recognize the battered child syndrome. See Landeros v. Flood, 17 Cal. 3d 399, 408-412 (1976).

 The attending physician on September 26,1974, did ask the visiting nurses association to visit the home and look into the cause of Jason’s frequent injuries.