2-Day (MDT) Investigations of Child Physical Abuse and Death

This course goes more in depth than the offered 8-hour course, with added discussion and exercises. It is designed to provide law enforcement officers with a comprehensive overview on various crimes against children involving child abuse. Each topic will be discussed in a way that professionals working child abuse can recognize and distinguish various offenses involving children, appreciate their unique characteristics, dispel common myths and outdated practices, discern how injuries may or may not present, understand the complexities involved and learn how to overcome the challenges these cases present. This session will also provide guidance with responses to these specific calls while acknowledging the unique characteristics and discuss how to work with an MDT for the best outcome. The importance of an adequate investigation will be highlighted on cases where victims are unable to tell their story. The focus will include real case scenarios of incident investigation, suspect interviews, child interviews, non-offending caretaker/witness interviews, crime scene evaluation and creation of timelines. The most common forms of physical abuse will be discussed, which will include bruises, burns, fractures and abusive head trauma as well as child death investigations.