Immersion deaths and drowning: issues arising in the investigation of bodies recovered from water

Byard, Roger W.

doi:10.1007/s12024-014-9564-5

Cited by 42 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 23 publications

(22 reference statements)

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“…The interpretation or opinion that the death was due to asphyxia requires definitive and compelling evidence from the postmortem examination, history, and/or death scene. 19,20,78,96,108,128 Unlike medical examiners, veterinary pathologists rarely attend a death scene. Veterinary pathologists are often not provided the entire information from the scene investigators 90 and therefore may lack some of the crucial information required to confirm death due to an asphyxial mechanism.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The interpretation of the lesions depends on a balance of probabilities and exclusion of other causes of death. 19,20,78,96,100 There are few reports of lesions of strangulation in the veterinary pathology literature (Table 2). 24,55,77,83 The ligature mark is the most relevant lesion in hanging and ligature strangulation, 4,38,121 although it may be absent depending on the type of ligature used, the duration, and the characteristics of the animals' fur.…”

Section: Lesions Of Strangulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nondrowning Asphyxia in Veterinary Forensic Pathology

McEwen

2016

Vet Pathol

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Asphyxia in a forensic context refers to death by rapid cerebral anoxia or hypoxia due to accidental or nonaccidental injury. Death due to nondrowning asphyxia can occur with strangulation, suffocation, and mechanical asphyxia, each of which is categorized based on the mechanism of injury. Individuals dying due to various types of asphyxia may or may not have lesions, and even those lesions that are present may be due to other causes. The interpretation or opinion that death was due to asphyxia requires definitive and compelling evidence from the postmortem examination, death scene, and/or history. Beyond the postmortem examination, pathologists may be faced with questions of forensic importance that revolve around the behavioral and physiological responses in animals subjected to strangulation, suffocation, or mechanical asphyxia to determine if the animal suffered. While there is no prescriptive answer to these questions, it is apparent that, because of physiological and anatomical differences between humans and animals, for some mechanisms of asphyxia, consciousness is maintained for longer periods and the onset of death is later in animals than that described for people. Veterinary pathologists must be cognizant that direct extrapolation from the medical forensic literature to animals may be incorrect. This article reviews the terminology, classification, mechanisms, and lesions associated with asphyxial deaths in companion animals and highlights significant comparative differences of the response to various types of asphyxia in animals and people.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Lesions Of Strangulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nondrowning Asphyxia in Veterinary Forensic Pathology

McEwen

2016

Vet Pathol

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“…53,56 The drowning process (Fig. 2), reviewed extensively in the medical literature 5,14,32,40,46,51,67,71,84 and largely based on experiments in dogs, incorporates behavioral and biological responses to drowning. 2,17,44,53,56,83 This has been categorized into the 5 phases of drowning (Table 1).…”

Section: The Process and Mechanism Of Drowningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Veterinary Forensic Pathology

McEwen

Gerdin²

2016

Vet Pathol

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Determining the cause of death in animals recovered from bodies of water, swimming pools, or other water-containing vessels is challenging. Animals recovered from water may or may not have drowned. The diagnosis of drowning is usually one of exclusion, requiring information from the crime scene, recovery scene, the medical history or reliable witness accounts. While there are characteristic macroscopic and microscopic lesions of drowning, none are specific and are dependent on the volume and tonicity of the drowning medium. Beyond interpreting the postmortem findings, the court may ask pathologists to comment on the behavioral and welfare implications of drowning. This requires an understanding of the drowning process, which is a complex series of sequential, concurrent, and overlapping cardiorespiratory reflexes, electrolyte and blood gas abnormalities, aspiration, physical exhaustion, and breathlessness eventually culminating in death. This review addresses the mechanisms, lesions, and diagnostic issues associated with drowning in nonaquatic companion animals.

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“…In the study reported by Ambade et al 31.2% of bodies retrieved from water were decomposed, as opposed to 1.6% of all other cases admitted to the mortuary. 6,7 There are no pathognomonic features to diagnose drowning at autopsy. External signs indicative of immersion include (amongst others) "washer-woman" changes of the skin and a plume of froth at the nostrils.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…External signs indicative of immersion include (amongst others) "washer-woman" changes of the skin and a plume of froth at the nostrils. 6,[8][9][10] Internal examination may also reveal non-specific findings such as pleural effusions and an increase in lung weights. 6,8,10 Intimal staining of the aorta has recently been reported to be present in 5% of cases.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%