Expert rejects eating disorder explanation
Doctor pans defence contention that diabetic teen died of anorexia
CALGARY Anorexia nervosa, a condition which can lead to severe weight loss, is more commonplace in sufferers of Type 1 diabetes, such as alleged murder victim Alexandru Radita, his parents’ murder trial heard Thursday.
But Dr. Daniele Pacaud said even if Radita was suffering from the eating disorder, it would not change her opinion the teenager was the victim of severe neglect.
“Eating disorders are more frequent in children with diabetes,” Pacaud, a professor at the University of Calgary and doctor at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, told defence counsel Andrea Serink.
“It’s considered ... a mental health disease,” she said. “The person has a problem with body image; they have a problem with a regular eating pattern.”
Serink’s client, Rodica Radita, 53, along with her husband Emil, 59, are charged with first-degree murder in the May 7, 2013, death of 15-year-old Alexandru.
The boy weighed a mere 37 pounds at the time of his death and his body was covered in 30 bed sores.
Pacaud agreed with Serink that such wounds are difficult to age.
“I confirm I cannot say what the ages of those sores are,” she said.
The doctor also said such bed sores could develop within hours.
“This person would’ve been particularly susceptible to bed sores?” Serink asked. “Likely,” Pacaud said. She added antibiotics would have been needed to treat the injuries and washing them with soap and water would not have been sufficient treatment.
She also told Crown prosecutor Susan Pepper she had never heard a course of medical treatment for the ulcers which didn’t involve an antibiotic regime.
Pacaud told Pepper she could not determine if the teen was anorexic, but it wouldn’t change her ultimate opinion.
In her findings the doctor said based on evidence she viewed, including autopsy photos and pictures of an emaciated Alexandru at his 15th birthday party more than three months before he died, the boy “was denied proper medical care and proper nutrition.”
And Pacaud said while bed sores could develop within hours, all but one of those ravaging the teen’s body were older.
“By the severity and how deep they are, I would not suggest they were in hours,” she said of the majority of the wounds.
The couple’s trial continues Friday.
I cannot say what the ages of those sores are. By the severity and how deep they are, I would not suggest they were in hours.