Commonwealth v. Rodgers

528 A.2d 610 (1987)

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Nature of the Case

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Facts

Anna Mae, was the 2.5-year-old daughter of the Rodgers (D). She was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead on arrival. The cause of death was malnutrition. Debra Rodgers told the police that the child was always skinny, but neither defendant could explain how more than 30 bruises were sustained on Anna's body. Expert witnesses were called at trial that indicated that Anna Mae suffered from battered child syndrome in that she received injuries inflicted by other persons. Ds were convicted and appealed based on the fact that the injuries did not fit the accepted definition of battered child syndrome as there were only recent injuries and not a combination of recent and old injuries.