Page 164 - CFDI Guide

Certified Forensic Death Investigator (CFDI) Program
Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI, CFDI-Expert and Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI, CFDI-SME
Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC
Criminal Defense Investigation Training Council (CDITC) Accredited

likely standing in the tub with the water running and it became too hot, and fell into excessively hot water. There was no

evidence, based on extensive research and expert consultation with a forensic pathologist, of an intentional act.

Child Abuse (10)
A 10-year old boy reported to his father being spanked by his mother, at their scheduled weekend visit with his step-

siblings. The boy reported they went to a local pool and played, he slipped and fell, and then went back home. He and
his siblings had been arguing, and his stepfather yelled at him. One of his step-siblings said he hit her and he called her a

liar. The stepfather told him to apologize or get spanked, and he ran to the kitchen. His mother went in and told him to
apologize to everyone, and she grabbed his arm. He pulled his arm away and then she spanked him really hard three

times. When visitation ended, at his father’s house, the boy’s father reported being able to see bruising, and had his
wife check – and they took photographs. They called the police.

Law enforcement responded and examined the boy, and took photographs of his right hip and marks, and right face

with a visible mark. They then interviewed his step-siblings, and they each told similar stories. One saw the spanking in

the kitchen and said their stepmother hit him really hard on the butt and slapped his face with her open hand. They all
heard their brother yelling. Law enforcement then went to the mother’s and stepfather’s and interviewed them. They
did not take photographs of the interior of the mother’s home. The mother stated she did grab her son by the arm and

told him to apologize; she stated she did not spank or slap him. The stepfather said she was on the living room couch

when it happened, which was the same as the mother described – they were interviewed together.

The child was not taken for any physical examination. Child protective services was not contacted. Review of the
photographs showed the injuries to the boy’s right hip were minor contusions, no abrasions; and there was a red

patterned mark on the right cheek, consistent with an open-handed slap. Both parents were charged with child abuse
resulting injuries.

Scene investigation showed a wall between the living room and kitchen, and the couch against the adjoining wall. There

was no line of sight from any furniture into the kitchen. Sound easily traveled. Additional research and knowledge of the
pool the boy reported visiting and falling was a natural spa area with rocks wet with steam and moss, consistent with

what he reported slipping on. Review of the law enforcement records and reports showed several inconsistencies with
the stepfather’s story and it was determined he was likely in the kitchen during the event. The mother, when

interviewed by defense investigators, would not state where her husband was, or deny if he was in the kitchen.

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