Suicide by electrocution with low-voltage current

Three cases of suicide by electrocution with low-voltage current were observed in five years (1994-1998) by medical clinical forensic examiners of an Emergency Forensic Unit of the Paris suburb among 2,000 external death examinations. The cases involved one woman, aged 72 and two men, aged 38 and 41. In the last two cases, electric burns were retrieved under bared electric wires, placed on the arms or fingers in order to realize a hand-to-hand electric circuit involving the heart muscle. In the other case, the electric circuit between mouth and foot also involved the heart muscle. Household low-voltage current delivered (220 V in France) had a sufficient strength to induce local muscular paralysis and heart fibrillation. In the three cases, blood samples taken have retrieved very high levels of muscular enzymes (CPK, LDH) correlated to the mechanism of electric death. The rareness of suicide by electrocution and its forensic characteristics are detailed in order to help the clinical forensic examiners, prosecutors, and police officers concerned by such death examinations.     

Homicidal electrocution disguised as an accidental death

Deaths due to electrocution are mostly accidental. Homicide by electrocution is rarely reported in the literature. However, the location and pattern of the electrocution wound can raise concern for a possible homicidal manner of death. We are reporting an unusual case wherein the dead body of a middle-aged man was found lying in a suspicious condition on the roadside of desolated area. There were circumferential, grooved electrocution lesions over the left and right second toes with oval electrocution lesions on the medial aspects of both the left and right third toes. There were split lacerations over the right high parietal region, right pinna, and forehead. There was avulsion of the nail of the left thumb. Pressure abrasion was consistent with a ligature mark on the lower part of the left leg. The locations and pattern of these injuries raised the possibility of torture infliction. Death was attributed to electrocution, which was confirmed by histopathology. Autopsy findings and possible inferences were furnished to the police. This case highlights the careful observation of different characterizations and locations of the wounds and deducing inferences about the possible manner of death. This information can be useful to investigating agencies.     

An electrocution by metal kite line

A case is reported in which death is caused due to electrocution by a copper wire that was used as string of the kite. Electric current flowed through the copper wire of cut down kite when it touched power line transmitting alternate current of 240 V at 50 Hz. The free end of copper wire had abraded against the victim's shoulder, neck and face, and finally entangled around the ear. A unique type of electrical injury is noticed due to contact with live copper wire. This paper stresses the unique danger of the kite flying.     

电击死心肌肌红蛋白的免疫组化研究

作者应用ABC法对电击致死组与对照组心肌肌红蛋白（Myoglobin，Mb）进行免疫组化研究，同时以常规H．E染色作比较．结果发现：ABC法染色时，对照组心肌Mb呈小灶性脱失，电击致死组心肌Mb是片状脱失伴Mb颗粒弥散至心肌间质。表明电击致死者心肌友生缺血性损伤。此结果可为电击致死者的法医学检验提供辅助诊断依据。     

Unusual self-electrocution simulating judicial electrocution by an adolescent

Electrocution is one of the rarest modes of suicide. In this case, one school going adolescent committed suicide by electrocution using bare electric wire. This is a rare case of suicidal death by applying live wires around the wrists, simulating the act of judicial electrocution. He positioned himself on armed chair and placed the nude wire loops from a cable around both wrists and switched on the current by plugging in to nearest socket by foot. There were linear electric contact wounds completely encircling around the both wrists. In addition to these linear electric burns all around wrists, there were electrical burns over both hands. This death highlights the need of supervision and close watch on children for self-destructing activities and behavior. This case also highlights unusual method adopted by adolescent to end his life.     

生前电击与死后电击骨骼肌肌小节的长度变化

目的研究生前电击与死后电击的肌小节长度变化,为生前电击与死后电击的鉴别提供新的方法。方法12只兔随机分为对照I组、对照II组、电击死组和死后电击组。每组3只。对照I、II组与死后电击组兔分别从耳缘静脉注射空气30m l处死。对照I组处死后,于死后即刻取其后肢股四头肌;对照II组死后24h于相同部位取材;电击死组兔通220V交流电,通电致兔死后即刻取材;死后电击组于死后即刻通220V交流电4m in后,在相同部位取材。用透射电镜观察骨骼肌肌小节长度变化,对所得结果进行统计学分析。结果生前电击与死后电击骨骼肌肌小节均缩短,与对照组I相比,前者较后者缩短程度更甚(P=0.000);死后电击组与对照I组相比,仅轻微缩短(P=0.000),对照II组相比,缩短较为明显(P=0.000);对照II组较对照I组的肌小节显著伸长(P=0.000)。结论研究骨骼肌肌小节的长度变化有助于鉴别生前电击与死后电击。     

Suicidal electrocution in a bathtub

A case of suicidal electrocution in a filled bathtub is presented with a discussion of the mechanism of electrocution in water. A modern safety device, the Ground Fault Interruptor Circuit, is also described.     

Two cases of suicidal electrocution

Two cases of suicidal electrocution are presented: one using a household lamp, the other using a homemade electrocution machine. The mechanisms of death and the histologic changes in electrocution are discussed.     

Internal current mark in a case of suicide by electrocution.

Fatalities caused by electrocution often lack specific morphologic evidence. Investigation of the death scene along with technical inspection of the electrical apparatus may help in clarifying the cause and manner of death. Cutaneous current marks may be the only sign of low voltage associated fatalities. The authors report a case of an electrician who committed suicide by electrocution using a time switch after oral ingestion of diazepam. Electrodes (coins) were fixed with adhesive tape at the height of the heart to the front and back of the left side of the chest. Autopsy revealed a blackish linear mark on the pleura parietalis of the inner side of the thoracic cavity, connecting the cutaneous current marks. Current-related and heat-related changes, such as hypercontraction bands of the intercostal muscles and coagulative changes of the perineurium of peripheral nerves, were found at histologic examination. Taking into consideration that the body had been under the influence of low-voltage current for 7 days, the morphologic alteration on the pleura parietalis was in accordance with an internal current mark, indicating the main route of current flow through the body. To the authors' knowledge, such a current-related phenomenon has not been reported to occur on an inner body surface before.     

电击死心房肌中心钠素改变的免疫组化研究

应用免疫组织化学LSAB法及计算机图像分析技术,观察电击死者心房肌中心钠素（ANP）变化情况,结果发现,电击死组右心房肌中ANP颗粒明显减少,此变化有助于电击死的诊断,并为临床电击伤的治疗提供参考。     

电击伤与电击死的法医学研究进展

电击伤和电击死是法医实践工作中常遇到的案例,尽管有许多学者从电击伤(死)后各个组织器官的形态学以及分子水平的变化进行了大量的研究,但实际检案中,法医工作者对其诊断(主要是对无电流斑的死因推断)仍没有统一的标准和直接客观的特异性指标,且对电击工具的推断、生前电击和死后电击的鉴别以及电击死后死亡时间的判断都有一定的困难,故其一直是法医学研究的热点。本文针对以上问题对电击伤(死)的法医学研究进展做一综述,为对其进一步研究提供一些思路。     

Accidental electrocution during autoeroticism: a shocking case

A case of atypical autoerotic death is described. An 18-year-old white man clad in two brassieres was found dead in his bedroom by his brother. Two wet green terry cloths were under the brassiere cups, connected to the house current via two metal washers and a bifid electrical cord. Literature depicting nude women was found near the victim. Autopsy revealed second-degree and third-degree burns of the mammary regions. Death was attributed to accidental self-electrocution. The authors will discuss typical and atypical forms of autoerotic death.     

A case of electrocution during illegal fishing activities

The passage of electric current through the human body causes variable harm, ranging from loss of consciousness to death caused by paralysis of the bulbar nerve centers. This report describes a fatal case caused by an illegal fishing practice involving stunning fish with electric shocks produced by an electric generator carried through the water inside the carcass of an old refrigerator to keep it afloat. This occurrence is unusual because of the circumstances giving rise to the use of electric current and the cause of death, which resulted from the combination of the electric current produced by the generator and the saltwater, bringing about death by drowning.     

Histopathological differentiation of skin lesions caused by electrocution, flame burns and abrasion

The aim of this study was to reveal histopathological features for differential diagnosis of skin lesions caused by electrocution, flames and abrasions. Based on the causes of the lesions, cases were assigned into three groups. Group 1 included 30 deaths from electric shock. Group 2 included 30 individuals with flame burns who died in the fires. Group 3 included 30 deaths from traffic accidents, from which the individuals had abrasions. Data from the crime scene investigations and macroscopic and microscopic findings from the autopsies allowed determination of the cause of death in all cases. The features of the lesions examined under the light microscope were intraepidermal separation, subepidermal (dermoepidermal) separation, coagulation necrosis in the epidermis, nuclear elongation in the epidermis, dark-staining epidermal nucleus, depth of homogenization in the dermis, and nuclear elongation in the epithelium of hair follicles. A significantly high rate of electrical lesions had intraepidermal separation. The rate of subepidermal separation was slightly more significant in flame burns. A significantly higher rate of electrical lesions had both intraepidermal and subepidermal separation. The rate of coagulation necrosis in the epidermis was significantly the highest in electrical lesions. Although the severity of nuclear elongation was the most significant in electrical lesions, varying degrees of nuclear elongation in the epidermis were present in all three groups. Dark staining of the epidermal nuclei was present in all lesions except for one electrical lesion, though the severity of staining was significant in the abrasion group. The depth of homogenization was slightly more significant in the abrasion group. The rate of nuclear elongation in the epithelium of the hair follicles was significantly lower in the abrasion group. The results of this study revealed that certain morphological changes determined under a light microscope could help the differential diagnoses of electrical lesions, flame burns and abrasions.     

远离电击部位电流通路上骨骼肌的病理学研究

研究电损伤时骨骼肌中肌红蛋白(Mb)和纤维连接蛋白(Fn)的异常分布情况。采用大鼠模型和人体电击死标本,对电流通路上骨骼肌组织进行肌红蛋白、纤维连接蛋白免疫组化(LSAB)检测。结果显示:电流通路上肌细胞呈现深浅不同竹节样改变,免疫组化法见Mb脱失,Fn呈阳性,呈蟒蛇状纹理。电流通路上骨骼肌竹节样和蟒蛇纹理改变对无典型电流斑法医学鉴定有实用价值。     

固定双上肢并悬挂家兔死亡机理的研究

目的观测固定双上肢并悬挂家兔的血气变化及膈肌的肌电变化,探讨体位性窒息死亡的发生机制。方法建立家兔体位性窒息死模型,在实验前、后分别抽取家兔耳缘动脉和左心室血2m l进行血气分析,并监测实验过程中家兔膈肌肌电图(EMGd i)的变化。结果实验组与对照组均有缺氧、二氧化碳储留以及氧饱和度下降,但是实验组的二氧化碳储留比对照组低,氧饱和度比对照组高,缺氧情况比对照组低。在连续记录的EMGd i中,早期EMGd i较晚期EMGd i的高频与低频(H/L)比值显著降低,超过20%。结论固定双上肢并悬挂家兔死亡与膈肌疲劳导致缺氧窒息有关     

Suicidal electrocution in Sydney: a 10-year case review

A retrospective study was undertaken of all cases of death due to suicidal electrocution in Sydney, Australia between 1996 and 2005. A total of 25 cases were identified with 20 cases (80%) as a result of direct attachment to an electrical outlet and five cases (20%) as a result of immersion in a body of water with an electrical appliance. Twenty of the 25 individuals were men (mean age = 57 years, range 22-90) and five were women (mean age 67, range 53-88). At least 35% of decedents were either currently working or had worked as electricians. Electrical timers had been used in eight (32%) cases, the fuse blown in one case, but the remaining 16 (64%) bodies were "live" on arrival of witnesses or electricity personnel. This study demonstrates the phenomenon of electrical suicide as a regular occurrence in Sydney. We highlight the need for investigators and emergency workers to remain vigilant upon discovery of electrical suicides, due to the fact that most bodies remain electrically active after death.     

Significance of skin metallization in the diagnosis of electrocution

The differentiation of minute current marks from the faint traces of burns may offer some difficulties. Marcinkowski and Wojciechowski (1973) treated the skin of corpses with the same metal objects either heated to a high temperature or exposed to 250 V of alternating current, and determined (by an electrographic method) that metallization appeared only after applying the electric current.The continuation of these observations is linked with the actual experimental studies of Pankowski. By treating the skin of corpses with alternating and direct current of 10, 50, 100 and 250 V for 0.3 sec, 1 sec, 30 sec and 1 min passing through a radioactive electrode of ⁶⁰Co, he has shown that the radioactivity of the skin at the site of electrode contact increases with the elevation of the voltage and its duration. In the case of direct current the rise was 630 – 54000-fold at the site of the positive electrode.Using electrodes of copper, aluminium and iron (not radioactive) it has also been shown (by an electrographic method) that metallization intensifies under the same conditions of time and voltage.Metallization could be detected even when no current marks on the skin were evident. Electrography appears to be extremely useful in the detection of metallization. No metallization was detected at the site of the negative electrode (as refers to direct current).     

Problems in the evaluation of electrocution fatalities in the bathtub

Forty-eight cases of electrocution in the bathtub are reported which were recorded in Düsseldorf and G?ttingen from 1972 to 1986; 19 cases were established to be suicides, with a sex ratio of 1:3 in favor of females. Marks of electricity were found in 8 cases. Five other cases were distinguished by linear marks indicating the water level, and in 10 cases a peculiar restriction of the postmortem hypostasis on the submersed areas could be seen. We presume from our own material that the latter findings can be easily ignored. As linear, circumscribed lividity could not be detected in bath deaths without electricity, it may be a specific finding. We recommend that more attention be paid to this phenomen. In all of our cases, 220 V current was involved, i.e., the usual household supply. The calculated amperage was about 100 to 250 mA, which means that ventricular fibrillation occurred within a few seconds. In 14 cases foam was established at the mouth and the nostrils, or in the air passages. We presume that, in these cases, death by electrocution was finally superimposed by drowning without developing the typical emphysema aquosum.