Significance of a scene visit in an alleged clinical child sexual abuse case: A case study

Abstract

Background: Performing scene visits in clinical forensic medical cases are relatively rare. This case report is on a child who was chronically sexually abused by several people. Case history: A 13-year-old girl was admitted to a local hospital complaining of chest pain. No physical cause was identified for the chest pain. With further questioning, she revealed a history of chronic sexual abuse by several people, including her brother, a policeman, and two other people. She was transferred to a tertiary care hospital due to child protection concerns. As the child was afraid to reveal the truth, it was a challenge to obtain the complete history. The history was obtained after talking with her several times. Psychiatry referral was done. Since one of the accused was a policeman in her area, it was requested to conduct the investigation by another police station. A case conference was held. Following many rounds of preparations, the child was accompanied by the ward staff and the medico legal team for a scene visit, with the police. Subsequently, a court order was obtained to transfer the child to a specialized rehabilitation center for long term management. Conclusion: Scene examination of the alleged sites of abusive incidents is an important part of investigation in these types of clinical cases. Considering her safety, emotional impact during the procedure and the importance of a scene examination, the child was accompanied by the hospital staff for the scene visit. This helped in assessing the credibility of a child’s statement. Documentation of this scene visit will be immense help for the future court case. This will ensure that justice is served and that the welfare of the child is prioritize throughout the legal proceedings.