Medicolegal aspects of infanticide in Hokkaido District, Japan

Since 1978, a total of 55 infanticides were investigated by our department (16.9% of the total number of medicolegal autopsies). This article describes the infanticides in the Hokkaido district of northern Japan. The characteristic finding for the cause of death was drowning in the toilet. This mode of killing seems to be chosen because of the style of toilet in the district, which includes a collecting tank for feces and urine under the commode.