Appeal from a judgment of the County Court of Washington County (Berke, J.), rendered October 16, 1992, upon a verdict convicting defendant of the crimes of endangering the welfare of a child (three counts) and assault in the third degree.
Defendant and her husband were duly certified foster parents who were awarded custody of two children, Jerry and Joseph. Joseph was four years old when he was brought to the hospital by defendant to be treated for injuries which included multiple fractures to his left arm and hand, as well as bruises to his right hand and face. Defendant told the hospital officials that the injuries were sustained when Joseph fell out of a chair at defendant’s home. When the attending physician concluded that the injuries did not correspond to this explanation, he reported the incident as suspected child abuse. Joseph himself later explained that his injuries were sustained as a result of defendant stepping on his arm as a "punishment”. During Joseph’s treatment, a registered nurse at the hospital discovered that the bruises had been partially camouflaged by a flesh-colored cosmetic.
On the following day, the senior investigator from the District Attorney’s office met with defendant and six-year-old Jerry. During the interview, the investigator noticed that portions of Jerry’s face and ears were covered with. a substance resembling makeup. Bruising of the cheek and ears was observed when the makeup was removed.
As a result of the investigation, defendant was charged in a four-count indictment with assault in the second degree and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child with regard to both Joseph and Jerry. Defendant was found guilty of three counts of endangering the welfare of a child and of assault in the third degree. Defendant was sentenced to one year in jail for the assault, to run concurrently with a one-year sentence imposed on one count of endangering the welfare of a child. On the remaining two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, defendant was sentenced to one year on each, the sentences to run concurrently with each other and consecutive to the other sentences.
Contrary to defendant’s initial argument, we find the evidence more than sufficient to support her conviction as to Jerry, under Penal Law, § 260.10 (1) and (2). Penal Law § 260.10 (1) requires knowing "acts * * * likely to be injurious to the physical, mental or moral welfare of a child less than
Defendant also complains that County Court allowed improper and prejudicial testimony from the witness David Judkins. Judkins was allowed to testify as an expert and to opine that Joseph was an abused child. Although no objection was taken to the opinion of this witness, we consider the admission of the opinion to be error. The conclusion expressed was not "beyond the ken of the typical juror” (De Long v County of Erie,
The testimony of the witness Deborah Linendoll was properly admitted. As a nurse she was familiar with calamine lotion and there was proper foundation for a lay opinion as to the identity of the substance that covered the marks and bruises (see, People v Mathews,
Defendant also contends that the introduction into evidence of medical records which described injuries suffered by two other foster children while in defendant’s custody was highly prejudicial as showing defendant’s propensity to commit other
We consider defendant’s claim that the prosecution’s summation was inflammatory to be untenable. The summation did not exceed the bounds of appropriate comment. No reference was made to matters not in evidence (cf., People v Paperno,
Contrary to defendant’s contention that County Court unfairly marshaled the evidence in the course of its charge, we find that the record demonstrates that County Court’s instructions were factually accurate and unbiased (see, People v James,
Cardona, P. J., Crew III, Yesawich Jr. and Peters, JJ., concur. Ordered that the judgment is affirmed, and matter remitted to the County Court of Washington County for further proceedings pursuant to CPL 460.50 (5).
