Medical Examiner Testifies Girl's Death Was a Homicide

Camden Fry’s death was no accident but instead homicide, according to testimony from medical examiner William Cox who performed the 8-year-old girl’s autopsy. Cox testified that the girl died as a result of manual strangulation, the pressure from which was applied to her neck over an extended period of time.

Compression must have been applied to the 8-year-old girl's neck for at least four to six minutes in order for death or even serious injury to occur, Cox testified in Kimberly Fry's second-degree murder trial. She is accused of strangling her daughter on Aug. 10, 2009 during a temper tantrum over the girl's refusal to take a bath.

Cox noted several injuries on Camden Fry's body during the autopsy he performed on Aug. 12, 2009, including insignificant bruises and scrapes to her ankles and right elbow. The injuries, Cox testified, must have occurred no more than 20 to 30 minutes before the girl's death, indicated by the lack of swelling around the injuries.

The more significant injuries included widespread petechia bruising to Camden's chest and neck, as well as a fracture to the hyoid bone in her neck. Petechia is defined as reddish or purplish spots containing blood that appear in skin or mucous membranes as a result of localized hemorrhaging. The bruising is caused by some sort of blunt force trauma, which can include compression and strangulation, which caused the damage to Camden's chest and neck, respectively, Cox said.

"The myriad of spots is due to pressure being applied to the chest," Cox said. "Something had to cover the entire area. This occurred over a period of time."

In addition to the bruising of the chest and neck, Cox also noted petechial hemorrhages on the inside of Camden's eyelids. These, he said, are the result of pressure in the head. The pressure is built up when blood flow is restricted from the head to the heart, causing ruptures in the eyes, Cox said.

"This immediately makes you think of strangulation," Cox said.

Cox is expected to return to the stand tomorrow morning for cross examination by Fry’s attorney, Sarah Wright.