Chapter 8 - Dr. Mills remembers
Dr. Henry Mills did not remember every teenager he treated.
He remembered Emily because Michael argued about the ER referral.
At his recorded interview, he said:
“Her abdominal examination worried me.”
Why?
Guarding.
Localized tenderness.
Mechanism.
Then:
“Did you think she was dying?”
“No.”
“Did you think emergency imaging was necessary?”
“Yes.”
“Why not call ambulance?”
“I offered. Parent said he would drive directly. Patient was stable for private transport.”
Then:
“Did Michael say pain was from soccer?”
“No.”
“He said she struck a counter.”
“How?”
“Initially he said she slipped.”
“Did Emily say that?”
“She said she bumped it.”
Then Dr. Mills remembered asking Michael to step out briefly.
Michael refused at first.
Why?
“She’s a minor.”
Dr. Mills explained he routinely speaks to adolescents privately.
Eventually Michael stepped into hallway.
For about two minutes.
Dr. Mills asked Emily:
“Do you feel safe at home?”
Emily said:
“Yes.”
“Did anyone hurt you?”
“No.”
That helped Michael.
Then:
“Why didn’t she disclose?”
Dana Walsh later explained:
Children often do not disclose immediately for many reasons.
Fear.
Loyalty.
Shame.
Confusion.
But legally, the earlier denial could be used to challenge credibility.
We had to accept that.
Then Dr. Mills asked:
“How did you hit the counter?”
Emily said:
“We were fighting.”
Before she said more, Michael reentered because a nurse opened the door.
Did Dr. Mills report suspected abuse?
No.
He did not have enough then.
Should he have?
Maybe.
Review later found his documentation and referral appropriate but his private screening was brief.
No disciplinary scandal.
Then Michael’s defense hired Dr. Owen Hart, trauma surgeon.
He reviewed records.
His opinion:
The bowel injury could be consistent with the described countertop impact.
Could also result from:
Sports collision.
Bicycle handlebar.
Fall.
Other blunt trauma.
He could not determine who caused impact.
True.
Then he said delay from Monday to Thursday was medically significant.
That hurt Michael.
Could the perforation have occurred later rather than Monday?
Possible.
But inflammatory findings and Monday bruise supported earlier injury.
No certainty to minute.
Then school soccer coach.
Emily had no recent abdominal collision at practice because she had not practiced since previous Thursday.
Game Saturday?
She played.
No reported injury.
Could Saturday injury perforate Monday? Possible but less likely given symptom onset Monday immediately after kitchen event.
Then Jenna.
She gave formal statement.
No adults coached.
She preserved phone.
Her messages were authentic.
Defense would later argue:
Emily may have described an accidental push as “Dad shoved me” because she was angry.
Possible.
The case would not rest on one verb.
Then Michael’s brother, Kevin, contacted me.
“Sarah, Mike wants to know if Emily needs anything.”
I said:
“Use lawyers.”
Then Kevin:
“He says he’s going to lose her.”
I almost answered:
He should have thought of that.
Instead:
“I’m not discussing this with you.”
Boundaries.
Then I learned Michael had started therapy.
Voluntarily.
Anger management too.
Before charges.
Was that strategy?
Maybe.
Also possibly real.
Courts would weigh behavior, not purity of motive.
Then prosecutor convened charging review.
They did not indict that week.
They wanted:
Medical causation.
Forensic interview.
Clinic record.
Home evidence.
Michael remained under civil no-contact order.
No instant prison.
That waiting drove Emily crazy.
“Why isn’t he arrested?”
“Because investigation takes time.”
“He did it.”
“I believe you.”
“Then why—”
“Because what we believe and what prosecutors can prove are different jobs.”
May you like
She hated that.
So did I.
