Mississippi Today investigation examines dangers of one doctor’s reign over child abuse cases

The system for investigating potential youngster abuse in Mississippi is complicated, however one man has a place of specific energy: Dr. Scott Benton. 

Benton, the one board-certified youngster abuse pediatrician in Mississippi and the twentieth particular person to earn that certification in the US, launched the Youngsters’s Secure Middle on the College of Mississippi Medical Middle in 2008. He sees sufferers on the hospital affected by extreme trauma and examines kids referred to the middle by Little one Protecting Providers, police, legal professionals and emergency rooms. 

Throughout his tenure, Benton has additionally carried out a system underneath which any youngster who involves UMMC with a sure damage or symptom should be evaluated by Benton’s workforce. The triggers for the involvement of Benton’s workforce are wide-ranging, together with any bone fractures, burns, and “all trauma warranting admission.”

Although Benton has undoubtedly performed a serious position in getting kids who’ve been abused into state custody, the facility he wields can have devastating penalties for households if he will get it incorrect. 

Mississippi Right now has uncovered three situations lately the place dad and mom allege he bought it incorrect. In every case, there have been different medical explanations for the accidents the kids exhibited that weren’t absolutely vetted by Benton or his workforce earlier than their caregivers had been accused of kid abuse. 

Dad and mom are sometimes unclear they’re being investigated for youngster abuse when interacting with Benton and his workforce, they are saying. Benton mentioned he and his workforce launched themselves as “pediatricians from the Youngsters’s Secure Middle.”

When giving skilled witness testimony in youngster abuse trials, Benton has minimized the talk about abusive head trauma diagnoses, and not less than in a single case, supplied medically inaccurate info on the stand.

Mississippi Right now examined hundreds of pages of courtroom paperwork and medical information over the course of this investigation. Reporters interviewed households who had been separated attributable to accusations from Benton that by no means resulted in convictions.

Collectively, the tales on this collection present the hazard of inserting a lot energy within the palms of 1 particular person with restricted oversight. In addition they elevate questions on how the state can shield kids from abuse whereas minimizing the unjust separation of households. 

The collection will publish on Tuesday, Feb. 28.