Were There Warning Signs In Death of 2 Year old Child?

It's been three months since the shocking death of 2 year old Benjamin Yhip, and Wednesday his parents, James Yhip, a local heart surgeon, and Edelyn Yhip were charged with his murder that allegedly stemmed from a pattern of abuse. Now some are wondering if there were signs that could have helped avoid this tragic ending. "There's obviously trauma. Fractures make you pretty suspicious. Then you check out the story, and certainly more than one fracture... The more injuries, clearly the more suspicious you are," according to Chico Pediatrician Dr. Paul Wassermann.

But experts say not all injuries should raise concern. Skinned knee's and bruised elbows are common in children, but if you find injuries in other areas, like the shoulders, thighs, or head, that could be a red flag. There are also less obvious signs to look for, such as failure to thrive, gain weight, or having abnormal social responses.

Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey believes there were signs that may have been overlooked because of the parents professions. "Some of the bumps, and bruises that might have raised a red flag, or some of the medical conditions that may have raised a red flag with professionals dealing with the children didn't at that time because of the status of the mother and father."

Dr. Wassermann agreed, and says many healthcare providers may give other doctors the benefit of the doubt. "you want to assume the best of people, and I think that when they're on your educational level, and they're in the same profession you tend to assume they're good people."