By Chuck Hustmyre
(Continued)
The Medical Evidence
It took until the end of July, but Boulder County Coroner Tom Faure ruled Jason's death a homicide. In the necessarily cold and clinical language of an autopsy report, the specific cause of Jason's death was "blunt force craniocerebreal injuries."
The reason for the seemingly lengthy delay in a full autopsy report was that Faure consulted four outside medical experts about the possibility that Jason's fractures may have been the result of a rare disease known as osteogenesis imperfecta, or so-called brittle bone syndrome, an idea floated by Alex and Molly's lawyers.
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| Thomas Faure |
The results of the consultations were conclusive: There was no evidence, in either Jason's bone samples or in his DNA,that indicated he had osteogenesis imperfecta.
Noted forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden, who was not one of the experts the Boulder coroner consulted, but who agreed to review the autopsy report for Crime Library, was blunt in his assessment of how Jason's injuries occurred. "The only thing that can cause this is trauma—blunt trauma," Dr. Baden said. "This is just a very bad instance of battered child syndrome."
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| Dr. Michael Baden |
Dr. Baden said it was significant that Jason showed no sign of bruising. The lack of bruises meant his injuries were at least several days old by the time his parents sought treatment for him. "If that child had been brought into the hospital a week earlier, when he had all these injuries...the child would still be alive."
Typically in battered child cases, Baden said, the parents avoid taking their child to a doctor because they are afraid of having to explain how the child was hurt.
In Dr. Baden's assessment, regardless of whether Jason's parents are the ones who beat him, the medical evidence clearly indicates they should have known he was suffering from severe injuries, and they withheld medical treatment.
Alex and Molly Midyette are clearly responsible for their son's death, Baden said. "Both of them are guilty."
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