Investigator Found Bruising on Girl's Chest, Neck

When authorities examined Camden Fry after she was found dead in her bed, they noticed several injuries to her body – including a form of bruising on her chest and neck – according to Kim Burke, an investigator with the state medical examiner's office.

Defendant Kimberly Fry, accused of strangling her daughter in 2009, put her head down and cried Monday morning as prosecutor Stephen Regine showed close-up photos of the 8-year-old's body and face Burke had taken on Aug. 11, 2009. Burke pointed out areas of petechia — reddish or purplish spots containing blood that appear in skin or mucous membrane as a result of localized hemorrhaging — spread across Camden's neck, chest and area under her chin. Burke also noted scrapes to the girl's ankles and right knee, an abrasion underneath her nostrils and a small bump on her forehead.

When she first arrived on scene about 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 11, 2009, Burke testified Monday, she immediately noticed Camden's body was in full rigor mortis — defined as stiffening of the muscles after death — indicating she had likely been dead for more than 12 hours. She also noted lividity — or gravity-induced pooling of the blood after it stops circulating — had set in, indicating the death had occurred some time ago.

Kimberly Fry is accused of strangling her daughter the night before while the young girl was in the throes of a temper tantrum over not wanting to take a bath. Defense attorney Sarah Wright has indicated that Fry did not intend to kill her daughter, but was attempting to employ a "restraint technique" designed to quell a tantrum.

Burke testified she tried to establish what had happened the night before, but was unable to get any information out of Fry, who was "in a shocked, incoherent state." Through interviews with police, she said she learned the defendant told officers Camden had taken a shower the night before, fell down, and had to be "dragged to bed."

On cross-examination, Burke acknowledged she has no idea how Camden sustained the injuries, noting she "wouldn't assume any of that." Rather, it is the medical examiner's duty to determine what caused injury and death.

Dr. William Cox, a state medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Camden's body, is expected to take the stand when the trial resumes in Washington County Superior Court Tuesday morning.