Death in a fold-away bed

The term "death in abnormal body position" refers to deaths caused by a position-induced impairment of the vital functions of respiration and circulation. In the described case from the autopsy material of the Berlin Institute of Legal Medicine (CCM), the 82-year-old woman died in a folded up fold-away bed in a fixed head-down position. Death was caused by the combined effect of neck compression, traumatic asphyxia and head-down position.