Evidence of "chronic sexual abuse" -- a guest post by CC

[NB: Since my inbox is now overwhelmed with comments I can no longer deal with any comment not found under the most recent blog post. So please try to avoid posting anywhere else. I appreciate all the many comments but lack the time to individually address every single one, sorry. If you've already posted something important elsewhere feel free to repeat it here. DocG]

An autopsy of the body of Jonbenet Ramsey was conducted on 12/26/96 by Dr John Meyer, Boulder County Medical Examiner,  and witnessed by Detective Linda Arndt of the Boulder Police Department.   Dr Meyer told Arndt that JBR had injuries consistent with prior  digital penetration of her vagina.   Meyer later returned to the morgue with Dr Andrew Sirontak,  Chief of Denver Children's Hospital Child Protection Team, who also examined the body and found the hymen "shriveled and retracted", among other old injuries to her vagina, and agreed that JBR had been sexually abused prior to the night of her death.

In September of 1997 a panel of medical experts was shown the autopsy report, photographs and tissue samples.   This panel consisted of:

John McCann, MD - Clinical Professor of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, UC Davis, acknowledged to be the foremost expert on child sexual abuse in the country;

David Jones,  MD - Professor of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, UC Boulder;

Robert Kirschner,  MD - University of  Chicago Department of Pathology; 

James Monteleone,  MD - Professor of Pediatrics at St Louis University School of Medicine and Director of Child Protection at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital;  

Ronald Wright, MD - former Medical Examiner,  Cook County,  Illinois; and

Virginia Rau, MD - Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner. 

They observed,  among other chronic injuries,  a hymen that had been eroded 

over time and a vaginal opening twice normal size for a six year old.  All stated they observed "evidence of both acute injury and chronic sexual abuse".  Dr Cyril Wecht, a forensic pathologist, in a separate assessment,  concurred.

I could find only two medical experts who, in separate reviews of the evidence,  had anything approaching dissenting opinions:

Dr Michael Doberson, Arapahoe County, Colorado coroner, said only he would need more information before coming to a conclusion.   Dr Richard Krugman,  Dean of University of Colorado Health Services,  has not denied evidence of prior sexual abuse,  but said "Jonbenet was not a sexually abused child.   I don't believe it's possible to tell whether any child is sexually abused on physical findings alone", to which Cyril Wecht responded "What is Krugman talking about?"

JBR was taken to her pediatrician 27 times in 3 years.   Five of those visits were for vaginitis, but Dr Beuf had never performed an internal exam.  On 12/17/96 Patsy Ramsey called Dr Beuf's office three times between 5:00-6:00 PM.  Eight days later, Jonbenet was dead.  I do not believe an experienced mother of two would make three after hours calls in sixty minutes to her child's pediatrician for a routine cold or sore throat.   I do believe it likely that JBR had yet another vaginal infection,  and  Patsy had finally become alarmed and was demanding answers - answers that could only be determined by a full pelvic exam, information Patsy would have shared with her husband. 

Dr Beuf was a mandated reporter, required by law to report any abnormal findings to Child Protective Services.   JBR was not killed to prevent her tattling, but rather because when the family returned from Charlevoix and their cruise on the Big Red Boat,  there was a pelvic exam in that child's future, the sexual abuse would be discovered and reported,  and the perpetrator thereof would face public humiliation,  loss of his company,  his social standing, his family,  and possibly his freedom.

My sources are Schiller, Thomas, Kolar, The Jonbenet Ramsey Case Encyclopedia, acandyrose,  and a book called "An Angel Betrayed".  

Many of you posting here have mentioned "conflicting experts' opinions".  I can find none, other than the two lukewarm ones from Drs Krugman and Doberson.  I think you may be merely repeating vague assertions you have always heard in conjunction with this case, but please, if you have such information,  post it, referencing your source and citing chapter and verse.

CC