Child Physical Abuse
Are there certain behaviors that parents display when they have abused their children? There are certain situations and/or behaviors to which juvenile officers should pay close attention when questioning parents in suspected abuse cases. For instance, when a parent states that injuries “just appeared” on her child and she cannot provide a plausible explanation for them, an investigator should stop and take a much closer look at the situation at hand.
If injuries to a child are located on the face, arms, stomach, torso, thighs or buttocks, be suspicious. It is highly unusual that injuries sustained to these areas of the body would be accidental in nature. Are there several injuries to the same location of the body? An accidental injury will be a solitary event. The presence of multiple injuries, especially if they are at various stages of healing, is a definitive warning sign of abuse.
