Deliberately inflicted burns to children are one of the more disturbing and unbelievable manifestations of child abuse. They are also difficult to investigate, present evidentially in court and prove. As a member of the San Diego Police Department’s Child Abuse Team, Phyl Peltier became frustrated when he encountered his first burn case, and found no practical methods in place for determining whether the case was accidental or intentional. As he began inquiring of doctors and prosecutors, Peltier began to develop his technique for evaluating suspicious burn injuries. He then established a protocol for bath scald investigations.
In 1997 and 2001, the US Department of Justice published Mr. Peltier's work and immersion burn worksheet in its guide "Burn Injuries and Child Abuse." This guide is disseminated to all 50 states and internationally. A past seminar attendee, a San Antonio Police Department Investigator, touts, "These courses will result in more timely, efficient and informed suspicious injury investigations, saving valuable time for the investigator, the department and for the victim."
