“Atypical Suicidal” cut throat injury – A case report

An autopsy case of suicide with three knives: a forensic and anatomical discussion

“…The injuries were anatomically localized in front of the body, in areas accessible to both arms of the human body, and are of the type that can be self-inflicted by the victim, as noted by other authors. 5,15,16 It is important to note that there was no evidence that the dead man had a history of psychiatric issues. Our case, presented in the research papers on the topic, is a guide to the mechanisms of such rare, self-inflicted injuries.…”

“…[8][9][10][11][12][13][14] In some cases, differentiating between the types of damage in the manner of death can be difficult, particularly given the sometimes unconventional atmosphere of the scene of the crime which may not be typical of suicide. 5,15,16 A very high concentration of vital structures and fascia encased in a small area is typical of the anatomy of the neck. The collection of vascular, nervous, respiratory, and swallowing anatomical units presupposes significant injury of vital structures, as well as potentially fatal complications after invasive trauma.…”

On ‘atypical suicidal’ cut throat injuries

“…2 Her suicide attempt was unsuccessful only because her son-in-law unexpectedly returned to the house. 2 Ours was another case of this rare violent suicide modality being implemented without hesitation, as in the case described by Shetty et al 1 In both cases, the injury was inflicted with unfaltering determination. The chosen weapon differed, however, being a sharp curved knife with a wooden handle in the case described by Shetty et al, 1 and a pair of scissors in ours.…”

“…2 Ours was another case of this rare violent suicide modality being implemented without hesitation, as in the case described by Shetty et al 1 In both cases, the injury was inflicted with unfaltering determination. The chosen weapon differed, however, being a sharp curved knife with a wooden handle in the case described by Shetty et al, 1 and a pair of scissors in ours. 2 Moreover, the person described in the Shetty case report had numerous family problems and debts, 1 whereas our elderly lady had no family or economic issues and met the criteria for successful ageing 3 (she was in excellent physical and mental health and involved in social, family and churchgoing activities).…”

“…Shetty et al 1 presented a rare case of self-inflicted cut throat injury in a 45-year-old ex-military man (with no tentative cuts on the neck) caused by a curved, sharp weapon. Suicide committed by cutting one's own throat with no sign of hesitation remains highly unusual and only a handful of cases have been reported in the forensic literature, 1 probably due also to underreporting of cases.…”