PTSD on trial: Toddler dies, step-father charged

Toddler also hurt in incident before his death
Attorney: PTSD won't be a defense in Flugga case
By RUSS ZIMMER • Advocate Reporter • August 3, 2008

NEWARK -- A two-word phrase -- "Daddy hit" -- was uttered by 3-year-old Carson Hanson on multiple occasions and was witnessed by two people before his death in June, according to investigation records released last week.

Prosecutors continue to look into the possibility of previous abuse by Corey Flugga, Carson's stepfather who has been charged in connection with the boy's death. Flugga steadfastly has denied ever laying a hand on Carson.

Although that issue remains open, neither side is questioning the mental stability of Flugga, a decorated Iraq war veteran who told detectives he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, but did not think that medical opinion was justified. His defense attorney even said it won't be used as a defense.

Carson was pronounced dead at Licking Memorial Hospital the evening of June 21. Suspicious bruising, as well as what emergency officials thought was strange behavior by Flugga, led to Flugga's arrest two days later.

Licking County Deputy Coroner Dr. Jeff Lee determined Carson had died from internal bleeding caused by tremendous blunt force trauma to his abdomen. The bruising pattern on the child's stomach was consistent with that of a fist, he wrote.

Flugga has no criminal record outside of an underage consumption conviction in Hancock County, but prosecutors are interested in looking into possibly undocumented cases of abuse.

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