A Case of Fatal Dehydration During Police Custody

In the forensic literature, fatal dehydration predominantly concerns young children or incapacitated elderly persons. The postmortem diagnosis of fatal dehydration can be challenging to confirm, especially if the preceding circumstances are unknown. Here presented is a case of a 23‐year‐old man who died while held in an isolation cell during police custody for 18 days. Autopsy findings were unspecific, but vitreous fluid analysis showed 192 mmol/L sodium, 179 mmol/L chloride, 16 mmol/L potassium, 352 μmol/L (3.98 mg/dL) creatinine, and 81 mmol/L (226.9 mg/dL) urea nitrogen. Based on the findings and circumstances, the cause of death was determined as severe dehydration and manner of death accident. This case illustrates the importance of performing postmortem biochemistry.     

The Role of Postmortem Computed Tomography in the Evaluation of Strangulation Deaths

We explored the value of postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) to augment autopsy in evaluating strangulation fatalities. A literature search identified 16 studies describing autopsy findings in 576 deaths and two studies describing autopsy and PMCT findings in six deaths. Similar cases were identified from our institution, yielding 130 deaths with autopsy findings and 14 deaths with both autopsy and PMCT findings. The presence of laryngohyoid fracture and soft tissue hemorrhage was compared from autopsy and autopsy+PMCT cases. The detection rates of fractures in autopsy and autopsy+PMCT cases were not significantly different. PMCT identified all fractures observed at autopsy and five fractures not identified. While PMCT may not detect soft tissue injuries in decomposed remains or subtle internal hemorrhages in neck injury, it is equally able to detect bony injuries as autopsy and might surpass autopsy in detecting subtle fractures. We conclude PMCT is useful to supplement autopsy in strangulation cases.     

Skeletal Trauma Resulting From Fatal Low (≤3 m) Free Falls: An Analysis of Fracture Patterns and Morphologies

The skeletal trauma resulting from fatal low (≤3 m) free falls is poorly researched and understood by forensic practitioners. The aim of this study was to identify the types of skeletal trauma resulting from low falls through investigating fracture patterns and morphologies. Skeletal trauma was analyzed using full‐body postmortem computed tomography scans of 145 individuals who died from a low free fall. Trauma was then contextualized to the variables that influence how a person falls using multiple logistic regression. Results showed fracture patterning primarily involved the axial skeleton and that there were a number of patterns significantly associated with the height fallen, pre‐existing health conditions, and age. Analysis of fracture morphologies showed 108 possible fracture types, six of which were significantly associated with the height fallen. Understanding the skeletal trauma characteristic of low free falls will further inform anthropological interpretations of trauma in cases where a fall may be considered the possible mechanism.     

The Effects of Soil Environment on Postmortem Interval: A Macroscopic Analysis

Abstract:  Burial environment, in particular soil moisture, has a significant impact on the type, rate, and extent of bone degradation, which ultimately affects estimations of the postmortem interval (PMI). The purpose of this research is to determine the effects of soil moisture on the color, weight, condition, and texture of bone as it relates to the PMI. Bone changes occurring over two different time intervals (2 and 5 months) were examined using 120 sus scrofa leg bones. During each time interval bones were buried in two soil environments, one of which was drier than the other. The bones in both environments lost weight over time but the net weight loss was greater for bones in the higher moisture environment. There was no change in color, texture, or overall condition, indicating that 150 days is not long enough for such alterations to occur, regardless of the moisture level of the burial environment.     

Estimating the Time of Death in Domestic Canines

Abstract:  Because 36.1% of U.S. households have dogs, the time of death (TOD) of dogs at crime scenes can be useful to forensic investigators. However, there are few published studies based on postmortem changes in dogs. This study, conducted indoors in still air at approximately room temperature, monitored the postmortem reduction in rectal, liver, brain, and aural temperatures in 16 dogs for 32 h after death. Graphs of temperature reduction were prepared to estimate the TOD of dogs within the first 32 h postmortem. Sex, body mass, and hair coat density did not affect the rate of body temperature reduction, but increased body weight and volume slowed it. Rectal temperature was the most convenient, reasonable site for measuring body temperature. Vitreous humor potassium ion concentration [K⁺] was measured in both eyes at c.  1.5 and 7 h after death. Both eyes had the same [K⁺] when measured simultaneously, and [K⁺] increased after death.     

利多卡因在蛛网膜下腔和静脉注射致死犬体内的死后分布

目的比较利多卡因在蛛网膜下腔和静脉注射致死犬体内的死后分布特点。方法犬12只,其中6只经蛛网膜下腔,另6只经股静脉匀速注入利多卡因(5×15mg/kg)致死,迅速解剖动物,取大脑、侧脑室脑脊液、腰段脊髓腔脑脊液、不同脊髓节段(颈髓、胸髓、腰髓、骶髓),心、肺、肝、脾、肾、胆汁、尿、心血、周围血、注射部位肌肉和注射部位20 cm以外肌肉等脏器组织和体液,用气质联用法定性,气相色谱法定量检测其中利多卡因含量。结果蛛网膜下腔注射致死犬体内利多卡因的含量由高到低顺序依次为腰段脊髓腔脑脊液、骶段脊髓、胸段脊髓、侧脑室脑脊液、腰段脊髓、颈段脊髓、肺、肾、注射部位肌肉、心、大脑、脾、心血、肝、周围血、胆汁、注射部位20 cm以外的肌肉、尿;静脉注射致死犬体内利多卡因的含量由高到低顺序依次为肾、心、肺、脾、大脑、肝、周围血、胆汁、心血、颈段脊髓、胸段脑脊液、注射部位肌肉、腰段脊髓、注射部位20 cm以外的肌肉、侧脑室脑脊液、尿、腰段脊髓腔脑脊液、骶段脊髓。结论蛛网膜下腔注射致死犬背侧脊髓液中利多卡因含量最高,静脉注射致死犬肾脏利多卡因含量最高,此分布特征可为利多卡因麻醉意外法医学鉴定中入体途径的判定提供参考。     

大鼠死后肋软骨细胞核DNA含量随死亡时间的变化

目的研究大鼠死后肋软骨细胞核DNA含量与晚期死亡时间的相关性。方法应用改良的Feu lgen法结合计算机图像分析技术对死后大鼠35d内肋软骨细胞核DNA含量变化进行观测分析。结果死后1~28d,细胞核染色逐渐变淡,至35d时已观察不到,死后肋软骨细胞核DNA含量与死亡时间呈直线相关。结论大鼠肋软骨细胞核DNA含量随死亡时间延长呈线性规律下降。     

曲马多在家兔体内的死后分布研究

目的研究曲马多在中毒家兔体内死后分布规律,为曲马多中毒检材采取提供实验依据。方法家兔经口给予10倍LD50曲马多,待家兔死亡后迅速解剖取样,气相色谱／质谱联用和气相色谱-FTD法测定其体液、脏器、大脑及右上肢和右下肢肌肉中曲马多的含量,比较其变化规律。结果血液和肝脏中曲马多的最低检出限分别为0．05μg/mL和0．05μg/g,提取回收率为97．60％±0．65％～103．10％±1．24％。曲马多在家兔体内的死后分布为：肾〉胃〉肝〉脾〉肺〉脑〉心〉上肢肌肉〉下肢肌肉〉〉体液（尿〉胆汁、心血〉玻璃体液）。结论大剂量曲马多中毒致死后在体内分布不均匀,组织中曲马多含量明显高于心血、胆汁等体液。     

The criminal career: Estimates of the duration and frequency of crime commission

This paper deals with measuring two dimensions of the criminal career: residual duration and frequency. It reports results from estimating the parameters of a model in which offenders have a probability of desisting from further participation in crime following a conviction and, if they persist, a rate of crime commission. The probability of desisting and the rate of commission are seen as varying with offenders' personal characteristics and criminal records. Moreover, this paper discusses the difficulty of estimating models in which failure to commit a new crime might be attributable either to termination of the criminal career or to a censored follow-up period. The paper reports both successful and unsuccessful estimation attempts and discusses complications when distinguishing empirically between duration and frequency.     

The influence of site of collection on postmortem morphine concentrations in heroin overdose victims

When assaying for postmortem morphine concentration, significant site sampling variability exists between central and peripheral sampling sites and even within sampling regions of the body. To study the variation, 76 suspected heroin overdoses were identified. Each had femoral artery (FA) and vein (FV), left and right ventricle and pooled heart blood samples obtained at autopsy. Forty-four tested positive for morphine. Morphine concentrations were determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, with sampling site differences reported as log-transformed ratios and compared by signed rank test.The mean FA to FV ratio for total morphine was 1.2 (range 0-4.5). The ratio for left heart to right heart total morphine was 1.1 (range 0.4-3.2). Left ventricular to FV total morphine ratio was 2.0 (range 0.6-6.9). In these opioid overdose deaths, FA and FV morphine concentrations are usually similar, although up to 4.5-fold differences were noted. Centrally obtained morphine concentrations are on average twice as high compared with peripheral morphine concentrations. Left and right ventricular morphine concentrations were usually similar, although up to 3.2-fold differences were noted (left side higher).