EMS: Courage And Compassion In Action

By Shawn Godfrey
12:00AM / Monday, March 05, 2007

Village Ambulance Services Operations Manager Shawn Godfrey is also a certified paramedic.

Welcome to "EMS:Courage and Compassion In Action," a weekly column written by Village Ambulance Services Operations Manager and paramedic Shawn Godfrey. Godfrey's columns will appear on Monday and will focus on the reality of the emergency services medical profession.

Because of the multitude of controversies that surround it, I was initially hesitant to write about child abuse and the impact it has on emergency providers.

However, the more I learned about the complexities of this societal epidemic, the more I realized how important it is for the public to recognize the reality of its potential “next-door” presence.

I believe every individual has a responsibility to identify and report information that could provide evidence of child abuse.


Fortunately, pre-hospital emergency cases of child abuse in this area are infrequent, however, when detected, they often involve life-threatening conditions that demand a swift response to treat and transport the victim. For every response, especially in the cases of child abuse, emergency personnel must adapt their senses to their environment and acutely illustrate the surroundings to which they respond.

This story encompasses not only the mistreatment a child endured, but in a broader sense, it’s an account of one mother’s fear and inability to confront an evil that dwelled within the family circle.

Seth

With tousled blonde hair and giant green eyes, Seth was seated at the edge of the threadbare sofa. His little fists were clenched tightly around a stuffed dog and tears were running down both his reddened cheeks. Although he was trying to be courageous, he instinctively curled into a fetal position as I entered the room.

Seth was obviously frightened of me.


He was wearing only a pair of tight-fitting shorts, which demonstrated no evidence of a recent laundering, and his arms were covered with what appeared to me to be freshly-inflicted red welts.

Yellowish-green contusions - which remebled the faded tone visible when a bruise is several days old - mottled both his legs, and the soles of his feet were soiled with traces of what appeared to be dried cat litter and hardened feces.

As I gently knelt down to make eye contact with him, I asked “What is your name and how old are you?”

Seth instantly directed his gaze towards his mother, who was standing to my left, as if seeking permission to answer.

“Go ahead and answer the man,” the mother demanded.

"I Am Nine Years Old, Sir"

After a brief delay, Seth timidly answered “My name is Seth and I am nine years-old, sir.”


“What happened to your arms and legs, and what is on your feet, Seth?” I asked.


Again, Seth’s eyes darted anxiously toward his mother, and this time, the mother answered for the child.

“I knew this was a bad idea. I think the boy’s going to be fine. Thanks for all of your help.”


Aware of the probability of child abuse, I convinced the mother that Seth required immediate transport to the hospital, because the multitude of bruises, in proportion to Seth’s body size, could lead to life-threatening internal blood loss.

After a great deal of verbal persuasion, she finally consented.

During the ambulance transport to the emergency room, she told me that Seth had been in the care of his step-father, who was now at work. There was an intial denial that anything violent had happened during the day. She appeared genuinely concerned about the health and welfare of Seth and began to cry.

The mother was hesitant to speak further; her husband told her that she shouldn't tell anyone about their situation because "no one would understand."


From her responses, it became clear to me that the step-father had physically abused Seth.

"Stop! Stop!"

I told the mother that as emergency responders, we are mandated to report incidences that suggest alleged child abuse and we work closely with hospitals as well as child protective services, in order to prevent further harm to the child.

With tears streaming from her frightened eyes, she thought for a second. She rubbed her brow and exhaled a deep breath of air. She finally confessed.

“He told Seth that if he didn’t clean up after the kitten, he would be punished. I was trying to get him to stop, but he kept hitting him with the belt. He grabbed me and threw me to the floor, but I got up and kept screaming, you’re going to kill him! Stop, Stop!”

“I understand where the bruises came from [often symmetrical and at different stages of healing during child abuse], but what is on Seth’s feet?” I inquired.

“Seth was made to stand in the litter box during the beating, because the kitten had soiled the carpet and scratched up my husband’s new leather chair,” she said.

“I was afraid of him. He kept saying if I told anybody about the beatings, he would kill both of us. What was I supposed to do?” she pleaded.

Both Seth and his mother were victims in this tragic whirlpool of physical and emotional abuse.

After Seth received an emergency department medical evaluation, a hospital-based family advocate spoke to him and his mother and eventually persuaded them to talk individually with a social worker.

This ultimately provided the feeling of safety that they both needed before they could freely disclose what happened to them.

Taking The Steps To Create A Change

The hospital staff went to court to testify about what they had observed and been told. They presented the mother’s testimony to the judge, who eventually ruled that the step-father would have no future contact with either of them. Seth, who is now fifteen, is doing well in school and is employed part-time. He and his mother currently reside in an apartment.

I recall a conversation with Seth’s mother just a year ago.

She said, “There are many lessons Seth has taught me. The most important is to never back down; never be afraid to fight for something or someone you love.”

She added, “This experience has carried me through my darkest days and it is a lesson that is always present, even during the happiest moments of my life.”


If you suspect incidences of child abuse, please contact your local law enforcement agency or child abuse prevention center.

To report suspicions of child abuse in Massachusetts call the state's Department of Social Services [DSS]at 1-800-792-5200.

Additional information about reporting child abuse and parental stress hotlines is available at a www.masskids.org Internet web site.