Dunagan v. State

The Pierce County Juvenile Court has declared a child to be a dependent child, made her a temporary ward of the court, and placed her in a foster home. We granted certiorari upon the petition of the child’s father and stepmother to review the order of the juvenile court.

Eight-year-old Janet Dunagan appeared in school on a Monday morning bearing bruises and marks evidencing a rather severe spanking, strapping, or other form of battery. She informed her teacher that she had been spanked by her father and stepmother about six times during the weekend. The school nurse was called who examined the…