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The Effects Of Temperature On The Decomposition Rate Of Human Remains

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Forensic anthropologists are frequently called upon to assist in the recovery and analysis of recently-deceased individuals. Estimating postmortem interval, or PMI, is an important part of a forensic anthropologist's job. The PMI serves two functions. First, estimating PMI can narrow down the potential pool of missing persons and ultimately help to identify the remains. Second, in homicide cases, law enforcement personnel use the PMI to exclude possible assailants. Forensic scientists use many methods to estimate the PMI, but anthropologists tend to emphasize the decay and decomposition of soft tissues. Qualitative "stages" of decomposition that broadly correspond to the PMI have served as rough guides for most estimates made by anthropologists. However, nearly all previous studies have considered decomposition as a thing to be described, not as a process to be scored and used statistically to estimate the PMI. Forensic anthropology might benefit from applying quantitative methods to the study of decomposition. Fly larvae (maggots) associated with decomposing remains grow and develop at a rate...

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Asphyxia

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SUFFOCATION

SMOTHERING
Smothering and suffocation are often used interchangeably, but the term “smothering” is best used for that form of asphyxia in which the nose and mouth are obstructed e.g. by a hand, paper, clothes, pillow, plastic bag etc. Gagging people to keep them quiet may lead to smothering. Signs of asphyxia are commonly absent or are only slight, and because marks of injury may be few if any at all homicidal smothering may be difficult to diagnose. Overlaying is the accidental death by smothering of young children by adults sleeping with them. In the U.K. it is a criminal offence...

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A Sample Of Consumer Product Related Deaths | National Coroners Information System (Ncis) Database Search

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VIC, 2003

EXCERPT: Case involving elevation of a car by a scissor jack “Senior Constable Simon Borg of the Mechanical Investigation Unit investigated the safety aspect of the jacks. This witness considers that the scissor type jacks are designed solely for use replacing a spare wheel and should not be used to support the vehicle which is being repaired. Warning labels stating “Do not work under car while using jack” where still visible on them. Although the lifting bars on both jacks were bent as were the base plates, there had not been any mechanical failure of these jacks. Senior Constable Simon Borg also inspected one of the hydraulic jacks and found it to be operating satisfactorily… It is clear from the evidence that {the deceased} had taken numerous steps to ensure his safety such as placing bricks in front of the vehicle’s front wheels and using four car jacks. Unfortunately his jacks were not appropriate for working beneath the car...

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Forensic investigation of Submersion Deaths

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Summary

Context:  The diagnosis of the cause and the establishment of the manner of death in submersion cases are routine challenge for forensic pathologists as it presents considerable diagnostic difficulties.

Objective:  To concisely review the main questions during a submersion death investigation and to give the respective documented answers.

Data sources:  The search strategy included a literature search of PubMed, Medline and Google Scholar databases, as well as a review of the cited references by the identified studies and a hand search of relevant textbooks and reference works.

Conclusions:  A complete autopsy, histopathological examination and full toxicological screening are important to determine whether death indeed followed submersion in the water, or to see whether any natural disease or substance use have contributed or caused death. In ambiguous situations, the co-estimation of circumstantial evidence may be of invaluable importance toward the conclusion concerning the cause and the manner of death. The thorough forensic...

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The Relationship Between Serial Sexual Murder And Autoerotic Asphyxiation

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Abstract

This case series documents and examines the association between autoerotic asphyxiation, sadomasochism, and serial sexual murderers. Autoerotic asphyxiation, along with other paraphilias found in this population, is reviewed. Five cases of serial sexual killers who engaged in autoerotic asphyxiation were identified worldwide: four from the United States and one from Russia. Case reports for each are provided. All (100%) were found to have sexual sadism in addition to autoerotic asphyxiation. Furthermore, two (40%) had bondage fetishism, and two (40%) had transvestic fetishism, consistent with these paraphilias co-occurring in those with autoerotic asphyxiation. Overall the group averaged 4.0 lifetime paraphilias. Some possible relationships were observed between the offenders’ paraphilic orientation and their modus operandi, e.g., all of these serial killers strangled victims suggesting an association between their sadistic and asphyxiative paraphilic interests. The overlap of seemingly polar opposite paraphilias in this sample sexual sadism and autoerotic asphyxiation is explored from a historical and clinical perspective.

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Death from GHB

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Death from GHB

March 5, 2011

Case series of 226 γ-hydroxybutyrate-associated deaths: lethal toxicity and trauma. Zvosek DL et al. Am J Emer Med 2011;29:319-332

Abstract

This long paper retrospectively reviews an extensive series of γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) fatalities culled from various sources, including medical examiner/coroner records, state health departments and toxicology labs, law enforcement agencies, and cases reported to the website www.ProjectGHB.org. Cases were included if levels of GHB or 1,4-Butanediol (BD) in various biologic specimens exceeded pre-set cutoffs.

A total of 226 BHG-associated deaths were identified: 213 directly caused by drug toxicity, 13 from trauma judged to be associated with the drug (6 motor vehicle crashes, 6 drownings, 1 fire). Deaths from drug toxicity were most likely caused by respiratory depression.

The authors make a number of important points:

Although GHB is often mistakenly considered safe if taken alone, a number of deaths in this report...

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What to do if a GHB Overdose Occurs

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We must take care of our own. Talk about what to do if a GHB overdose occurs Since it's a more frequent occurrence that any of us would prefer...talking it through ahead of time can help those around you know what to do in case an overdose does happen. Contact the events EMT, they are there for you. Check their breathing. Turn the individual on their side so if they vomit while unconscious they won't choke. If there is reason to think they are in danger, call help immediately. The most dangerous period is between 20 and 120 minutes after ingestion. Try to find out what else they may have taken. Always lean on the side of caution and safety. Whenever someone becomes unconscious after taking a depressant, there is a risk of death. If someone begins vomiting and convulsing after taking GHB, the person should get medical attention immediately....

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Measuring the Concentration of GHB

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What a lot of people do to test the concentration of their gear is take 1-2ml to start off with, then wait 1.5-2 hours to see what happens. If they don't reach the desired effects, they take another dose 1ml higher than their last, wait 1.5-2 hours... And you get the idea.

If you've got 1,4-B, watch out because it doesn't mix entirely with water, and tends to sink to the bottom of the bottle if left to sit for a while. So when you're testing for concentration, you might find that the stuff at the top of the bottle is quite weak and assume the whole batch is... But as you near the bottom of the bottle, it will get stonger and stronger. So it's a good idea to give it a shake before you do anything with it.

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Dead Body Decomposition Model

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Stella® model and case study by Bob GotwalsView the case study for this model.

Below you will find an image of a model of dead body decomposition. This model was created using Stella® software and was converted to Java for the web using Stella2Java©2001-2003.

Please note that in order to view this Java applet you must use a Java-enabled browser.

As with any model, this one has been simplified in order to demonstrate change in body weight over time. This model could be added to in such a way that it would more closely represent real decay processes in a given geographic area. Manipulate the variables below to see how they change the rate of decomposition.

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Dyadic Death: a Typology

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Abstract

In dyadic deaths, a second victim acts in consort with, is associated with, or is killed by a person who, contemporaneous with the first death, then suicides. Dyadic deaths thus include both homicide-suicides and suicide pacts. This paper describes, suggests organizing dynamics of, and illustrates distinct types of dyadic deaths. The proposed typology varies by levels of dominance, dependence-enmeshment, and the presence or absence of hostility in and between partners.

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The Talking Dead: 4 Observations About the Dying Declaration Exception Based on the Advisory Committee’s Notes

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Federal Rule of Evidence 804(b)(2) provides an exception to the rule against hearsay

In a prosecution for homicide or in a civil case, [for] a statement that the declarant, while believing the declarant’s death to be imminent, made about its cause or circumstances.

Working off of my post from yesterday about dying declarations being admissible for ("The defendant didn't do it") and against ("The defendant didn't do it"), I wanted to take a look at the Advisory Committee's Note to Rule 804.

In that Note, we first have the Committee in part justifying the former testimony exception by reference to the dying declaration exception:

Falknor concluded that, if a dying declaration untested by cross-examination is constitutionally admissible, former testimony tested by the cross-examination of one similarly situated does not offend against confrontation....The constitutional acceptability of dying declarations has often been conceded.

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Death From Propofol: Accident, Suicide, Or Murder?

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Abstract

A 24-yr-old woman was found dead in her home from apparent propofol "toxicity." Her blood level of propofol was 4.3 microg/mL. She had no history of drug abuse and no evidence of such behavior at autopsy. The medical examiner and police investigators felt that she died from probable homicide. Attention was focused on a male registered nurse acquaintance, who had acquired propofol and other drugs in the course of his regular duties in a surgical intensive care unit. This is the first reported case of murder with propofol.

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Choices to Make Before Death

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Seriously ill people and their families may feel swept along by the fatal illness and the various treatments, as if they have no control over the events. Some people seem to prefer this sense of having no control because it relieves them of the responsibility of deciding what should be done. Other people prefer to determine all aspects of their care, sometimes even including the specifics of their funeral and burial.

Honest, open communication between patients and doctors about preferences for care at the end of life helps to ensure the best possible quality of life during a fatal illness. The doctors provide a candid assessment of the likely benefits of end-of-life treatments and their disadvantages, including effects on quality of life. People express what they do and do not want to experience. People have the chance to...

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The Forensic Nurse as a Death Investigator

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In the United States, responsibility for death investigation lies with either the coroner or the medical examiner. A coroner is an elected official who, in some jurisdictions, has no specific educational requirements. A Medical Examiner is generally an appointed physician with training in forensic pathology. There are currently 11 Coroner states, 22 Medical Examiner states, and 18 states that employ some combination of both.

Every state/county has different needs and resources, and every state/county may run death investigations with a different approach. What matters is that every effort be made to ensure a thorough, accurate, and timely investigation. A faulty cause of death determination can significantly impact surviving family members, agencies responsible for planning public health policy, civil or criminal action, and even public safety.  Some deaths may occur as a result of a criminal event, but every death is a medical event....

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Long-Term Effects of the Death of a Child on Parents’ Adjustment in Midlife

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Abstract

The death of a child is a traumatic event that can have long-term effects on the lives of parents. This study examined bereaved parents of deceased children (infancy to age 34) and comparison parents with similar backgrounds (n = 428 per group) identified in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. An average of 18.05 years following the death, when parents were age 53, bereaved parents reported more depressive symptoms, poorer well-being, and more health problems and were more likely to have experienced a depressive episode and marital disruption than were comparison parents. Recovery from grief was associated with having a sense of life purpose and having additional children but was unrelated to the cause of death or the amount of time since the death. The results point to the need for detection and intervention to help those parents who are experiencing lasting grief...

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