State Of Washington, V Hector Francisco Saavedra Ruiz, 47572-3

Infant Natalie died days after visiting her father, Hector Saavedra Ruiz; autopsy and hospital exams showed a skull fracture, subscalp bleeding, retinal hemorrhages, and brain injury.
Paramedics revived Natalie but she was transferred to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and died three days later.
The State charged Saavedra Ruiz with second-degree murder alleging he caused Natalie’s death during or in furtherance of child assault; aggravators included family relationship, victim vulnerability, and position of trust.
Medical experts testified for the State that Natalie's injuries were from blunt force trauma, that retinal findings correlated with shaking, and that symptoms would appear immediately after severe head injury.
At closing, the State argued the injuries resulted from being slammed against a surface (blunt force), not solely from shaking; the jury convicted Saavedra Ruiz of second-degree murder and found the special verdicts.

Issue	Plaintiff's Argument	Defendant's Argument	Held
Did presentation of expert testimony about shaken-baby science violate due process/fair trial rights?	Saavedra Ruiz: Experts relied on outdated/misleading shaken-baby science, requiring reversal.	State: The record contains no evidence that testimony was misleading or scientifically outdated; prosecution did not rely on shaking theory as the sole cause.	Court: On direct appeal, claim fails because review is limited to the trial record and nothing in the record shows misleading/outdated expert testimony; conviction affirmed.

In re Pers. Restraint of Fero, 192 Wn. App. 138 (2016) (postconviction relief granted where extra-record expert declarations showed a paradigm shift undermining medical testimony at trial)
State v. McFarland, 127 Wn.2d 322 (1995) (personal restraint petitions permit consideration of matters outside the trial record)