Retired Deputy Coroner Los Angeles County ME-Coroner
The presentation will discuss sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), child abuse and the vast gray area between the two. The importance of good interviews, doll reenactments and detailed scene investigation are paramount, but how is that done when the parents appear so nice and they're grief stricken? Is that doll reenactment really necessary? What does the pathologist mean when they can't determine a cause of death although the circumstances seem so obvious? What is the mechanism of injury behind petechiae and retinal hemorrhages? Is bedsharing really that dangerous and when is it a crime? How can it be that the emergency room doctor said it was SIDS and the medical examiner said they saw trauma? During this lecture attendees will walk down the investigative path with the presenter and arrive with some knowledge and confidence in how we can better serve these children. Warning: graphic autopsy photos will be shown.
Learning Objectives:
The attendee will understand the importance of a comprehensive SIDS investigation and comprehend when the case strays into suspicious circumstances.
Child abuse and mechanism of injury will be described with the use of external body photos and autopsy photos.
Case studies regarding pediatric death investigations and how the cases were adjudicated will be explained.
