9/16/12 Prosecution offers medical testimony in second day of murder trial
By Nick Sabo
September 18, 2012
392
SUMMARY: Akron Children's Hospital physician calls defense claims "nonsensical"
An Akron Childrens Hospital physician testified Tuesday Sept. 18 that injuries leading to the death of a Wooster toddler would have caused immediate and recognizable symptoms.
Testifying in the second day of a jury trial in Wayne County Common Pleas Court charging Kelly M. Kline, 34, 4599 S. Firestone Road, Sheve, with murder, Dr. Daryl Steiner said injuries he observed in 15-month-old Ella Young would have caused the child to lose consciousness immediately after she suffered them.
Kline is charged with causing fatal injuries to Ella Young March 28, 2011, while she was babysitting her. Ella died the next day at Akron Childrens Hospital.
Steiner, who is director of Akron Childrens Child At Risk Evaluation center (CARE), testified that hemorrhages he observed March 28, 2011 in Ella eyes could only have been caused by violent shaking of the kind found with shaken baby syndrome. Steiner said assertions by Klines attorney, John Johnson Jr., that Ella died from complications which developed over several days were ridiculous and nonsensical.
The hemorrhages Steiner said he observed in Ellas eyes indicated that the retina had pulled apart, leaving a space between the two halves. This can only be caused by very, very violent shaking that results in the head rocking back and forth on the neck in a 60 degree arc at a rate of three to five times per second, Steiner said.
Steiner rejected the theory, as put forward by Johnson, that Ella could have suffered a head injury in a March 22 fall down stairs at her home that grew progressively worse, resulting in a final respiratory collapse March 28, 2011.
Steiner said be believes Ella was held by the shoulders and shaken while she was standing up, prior to being laid down for a nap, at approximately 9:15 a.m. March 28. Prior testimony indicated Kline put Ella down for a nap at that time.
Summit County medical examiner Lisa Kohler performed an autopsy March 29, 2011, on Ella. Kohler testified Tuesday that she found at least three bruises that were similar in form on Ellas scalp which led her to believe Ella had suffered some kind of blunt force trauma to the head. Kohler further noted in the autopsy report that violent shaking must be strongly considered, also indicated by the hemorrhages found in Ellas eyes.
Kohler testified that bruising to the arms, legs and torso, and bone fractures, can be found in some cases of shaken baby syndrome but they are not usually present. Kohler made the statement under redirect examination by Wayne County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney John Williams after Johnson, in cross examination, questioned whether Ella had bruising or broken bones. Kohler had previously testified that she had found no fractures or bruises on Ellas body consistent with rough holding or squeezing.
Kline was interviewed March 29, 2011 by Wayne County Sheriffs Lt. Kurt Garrison. In a video of the interview played Tuesday by Williams, Kline repeatedly denied doing anything to Ella that could have caused the kind of injuries described by Steiner and Kohler.
Kline is further charged with involuntary manslaughter, two counts of endangering children and two counts of assault.
