Sanders v. State

303 S.E.2d 13 (1983)

Purchase the Printed Copy at bsmsphd.com

Nature of the Case

To access this section all you need to do is click here and register.

Facts

Sanders (D) called the police and requested that an ambulance be sent for her child. When the ambulance arrived, they found D holding her child and quickly noticed the multiple bruises on her face, neck, chest, and abdomen. The child was gasping for breath and appeared unconscious. The child stopped breathing when they arrived at the hospital and died. Police were notified, and D was questioned by a child protective services worker and admitted she was the only person with the child but that she did not know how the injuries occurred. During subsequent questioning D constantly changed her story and came up with excuse after excuse that would not account for the severe injuries the child has sustained. The police arrived and read D her Miranda warnings and then she changed her story again. The autopsy revealed such severe damage to the dead child that the only way it could have been inflicted was by a severe beating and by no means could those injuries be done by dropping the child as D claimed. The autopsy revealed that the child had been subject to battered child syndrome. D was tried and found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. D alleged that it was error to admit evidence about battered child syndrome as it related to the character of the perpetrator of that abuse.