Child abuse is a particularly delicate legal area as many physicians, neighbors, family members and friends are hesitant to make accusations or inquire about abuse. For this reason, when cases do arise, forensic pathologists, who are trained in the recognition and diagnosis of child abuse injuries, need to be consulted. Having an experienced and knowledgeable pathologist could mean the difference between false allegation and overlooked abuse.
A caregiver homicide is often covered-up and frequently mistaken for accidental or natural causes of death. The forensic pathologist has the expertise and experience to know what to look for in order to determine the cause of death, and if it was, in fact, intentional or the result of abuse.
When investigating the death of an infant, there can be a fine line between Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and infanticide. In some cases, babies who are smothered, who have died of natural causes, or who have died of SIDS - all present the same physical manifestations. Therefore, it is important to involve a forensic pathologist who is trained to notice the subtleties between the possible causes of death. Experts at The Forensic Panel not only have direct experience with infant death investigation, but their work is carefully reviewed by the countries leading professional in related fields making it irrefutable in the court of law.