Chapter 7 - The Teddy Bear Interview
Ruby’s forensic interview took place six days after surgery.
Her face was still swollen.
Her left eye remained covered.
She insisted on bringing Mr. Buttons.
The interviewer, Ms. Dana Flores, explained:
“If you don’t know, say you don’t know.”
“If I say something wrong?”
“You correct me.”
Ruby nodded.
I watched from separate room with Detective Hayes and CPS.
I hated not being beside.
Necessary.
Dana began school.
Favorite animal.
“Red panda.”
Then:
“Tell me about Grandma’s house.”
Ruby smiled.
“Cinnamon.”
Then:
“Tell me about Saturday.”
Cake.
Grandma permission.
Vanessa.
“She called me thief.”
Then hair.
Ruby used teddy bear.
“She grabbed here.”
Then:
“My face went boom.”
I covered mouth.
“Did anyone tell you what to say about how you got hurt?”
“Grandpa said fall.”
“When?”
“At hospital? Before?”
Ruby frowned.
“Before ambulance. He said Megan is gonna make everything bad.”
She called me Megan sometimes only copying adults. Maybe.
Then prior visit.
Arm.
“I touched purple marker.”
“Who grabbed?”
“Aunt Vanessa.”
“Did someone see?”
“Grandma.”
“What did Grandma say?”
“Tell Mom swing.”
“Why?”
“Because Mom gets mad at Vanessa.”
Then hair brush.
“Did that happen?”
“Yes.”
Then threat.
“Aunt Vanessa said if I tell Mom, Grandma will cry so hard she gets sick.”
“What did you think?”
“That Grandma could die.”
I cried silently.
Vanessa had used death fear.
Then:
“Did anyone tell Vanessa not to hurt?”
“Grandpa says stop being rough.”
“Grandma says use words.”
Then:
“Has Vanessa ever said she would kill you?”
Ruby’s face changed.
This came from hospital statement perhaps. Dana should not lead with specific unless child previously disclosed. She could ask, "Did she ever say anything that scared you?" Ruby:
“She said if I touched her purse again she’d kill me.”
“When?”
“Purple marker day.”
“Exact words?”
Ruby:
“Touch my stuff again and I’ll kill you.”
Maybe hyperbolic adult phrase.
Still terrifying to child.
Then:
“Did anyone hear?”
“Grandma.”
“What did Grandma say?”
“Vanessa, stop being dramatic.”
There.
My mother heard death threat and categorized drama.
Then current hospital video prompt had Ruby whisper "she told me gonna kill me". We preserve.
Then Dana asked:
“Did Aunt Vanessa ever hurt you where nobody saw?”
Ruby thought.
“No.”
Good.
No invented hidden horrors.
Then:
“Did Grandma hurt?”
“No.”
“Grandpa?”
“No.”
“Did they make you scared?”
“Sometimes when they said don’t tell.”
That distinction mattered.
Then:
“What do you want now?”
Ruby hugged bear.
“I want eye better.”
No revenge.
Then:
“Do you want see Vanessa?”
“No.”
“Grandma?”
She hesitated.
“Maybe if Mom there.”
“Grandpa?”
“Maybe.”
Children separate.
Then after interview, ophthalmology.
The swelling decreased enough for testing.
Dr. Patel covered right eye.
Ruby looked at light.
“Can you see fingers?”
“Three?”
There were two.
Then movement.
Some.
Dr. Patel later told:
“Vision is severely reduced, but she has more function than first day.”
Hope.
“Will it improve?”
“Possibly some. The optic nerve injury may leave permanent loss.”
Then:
“She will need ongoing therapy and protective eyewear for right eye.”
I nodded.
Then police called.
Grandfather Robert’s cloud access logs showed he had attempted to delete not just assault day.
He had successfully deleted seven clips during prior two months.
But camera provider retained deleted data in backup under legal process.
They were being restored.
May you like
My stomach dropped.
We had not seen everything yet.
