Stun gun injuries in the abuse and death of a seven-month-old infant

The author autopsied a seven-month-old infant who was shocked repeatedly with a stun gun by his foster mother, in an attempt by the foster mother to get the infant to stop crying. The stun gun injuries were round, well-circumscribed, erythematous macular lesions, which were found in pairs. The lesions were 2 in. apart, and were found to match the distance between the electrodes of the stun gun found in the foster mother's purse. Based on the electrical output of the stun gun, the small size of the infant, location of stun gun discharge, and the decreased resistance of the infant's skin, it can be concluded that the stun gun injury is responsible for the infant's death.