New Medical Technology at Good Samaritan Hospital Helps Pregnant Woman End Abusive Relationship

When Justice Woods came into the Good Samaritan Hospital emergency department, she wasn’t even entirely convinced she needed to be there at first.

Even though earlier that day, the then 26-week-pregnant Justice was the victim of a domestic abuse incident. 

“It was a bad morning,” she said. “He started to strangle me and tried to throw me around the house.” 

But when Justice couldn’t see much of a visible mark on herself afterwards, it caused her to question herself and whether the injuries were that bad.

“I didn’t think that what he was doing to me was that bad because I didn’t see anything,” Justice recalled. 

However, once she ended up in front of a new piece of medical forensic technology called the Cortexflo camera, that all changed.

The Cortexflo is a high-contrast camera that captures images of bruising, contusions and other beneath-the-skin injuries that may not be immediately visible to the naked eye – especially for those who have darker complexions and skin tones. 

In addition to capturing images that can be used as evidence in the event that victims file charges, the Cortexflo can also help patients and their care teams have a complete understanding of the extent of the internal injuries in their own cases. 

“The camera made me realize that I used to downplay it,” Justice said. “And then I seen it, and I had a breakdown.”

Designed for photos used in forensic medical examinations, the Cortexflo is already making a big difference for individuals experiencing domestic violence.

For Justice, it’s what helped her gather the courage to take legal action and end the abusive relationship once and for all. 

“The Cortexflo camera captures things that most cameras miss in terms of strangulation, which is huge,” said Christine Hassert, Coordinator of the TriHealth Forensic Nurse Examiner Program. “In that moment, it just validated her – I think that’s what everybody deserves.” 

The realization of just how bad the injuries were caused a sudden shift for Justice. She now knew that she needed to save not only her own life, but the life of her unborn baby as well.

Her daughter, Nova, is now 10 months old and healthy. 

“I love her – she saved me,” Justice beamed. 

Samantha Koeninger, Clinical Nurse Educator at Good Samaritan Hospital, says that empowering patients with knowledge about their situations and providing access to resources to make a change is what using technology like the Cortexflo is all about. 

“There's a lot of resources out there that a lot of victims may not know about,” she said. “A big goal for us is to make sure that we as nurses help advocate for these women, who may be having the worst day of their lives.” 

The Cortexflo camera at Good Samaritan Hospital is one of only 600 currently in use at hospitals, clinics and military locations across the United States.

Now knowing these resources are available, Justice wants others in the Cincinnati area to know that if they are experiencing something similar, that there are people to lean on.

“I want them to know that they are not alone,” she said. “Hundreds, maybe millions, of other women are going through something as bad as you. You don’t have to sit, and you don’t have to settle.” 

For anyone seeking help, the National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached by texting BEGIN to 88788 or calling (800)-799-7233. The hotline provides confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.