Assessment of post‐mortem submersion interval using total aquatic decomposition scores of drowned human cadavers

Abstract

Investigating drowning‐related deaths remains a significant problem for forensic personnel all over the world. The previously published decomposition scoring method like the total aquatic decomposition (TAD) score promises to estimate the correct post‐mortem submersion interval (PMSI) in aquatic habitats through the assessment and calculation of the decomposition rate and accumulated degree days (ADD). The current study comprised of 53 drowned death cases belonging to various districts of Haryana from May 2016 to August 2017. The regression and Pearson's correlation indicated a significant correlation between the TAD scores and the actual ADD (calculated through water temperatures) (r2 = 0.917) and between the actual and the estimated ADDs (calculated through TAD scores used by Heaton et al. [21]) (r = 0.9585). The results indicated that the estimated ADD tends to over predict the PMSI compared to the actual ADD. It is further confirmed by paired t‐test, which showed the mean of actual ADD (mean = 349) to be significantly lower than the mean of estimated ADD (mean = 663). Moreover, these methods will help forensic investigators and researchers formulate region‐specific regression equations for PMSI estimation.

A Summary of Concepts, Procedures and Techniques Used by Forensic Entomologists and Proxies

“…Once again, it is recommended that Silver and Bronze personnel collect all aquatic fauna that they observe associated with the corpse. In contrast, it is recommended to preserve approximately 40% of sampled specimens from stream-bottom remains in properly labelled vials containing 95% ethanol to minimise their decay during storage [71,92].…”