L2.3 Pathology

What are the four goals of death investigation?

Cause of death, manner of death, mechanism of death, and estimated time elapsed since death.

Manner of Death

The classification of how the death occurred, which can be natural, accidental, suicidal, or homicidal.

Natural Death

Death caused by the shutting of body organs (organ failure). Identifying factor: Victim has medical record of chronic diseases.

Accidental Death

Death caused by accidents that the victims were not aware of. Identifying factor: No evidence indicating the involvement of an offender.

Suicidal Death

Victim intentionally committed suicide. Identifying factor: Self-caused lethal injuries, injection/consumption of toxins, self-caused halt of respiration.

Homicidal Death

Death caused by the intentional killing of an offender. Identifying factor: Most often, offenders are unorganized and evidence can be easily determined.

Mechanism of Death

The physiological process or events that lead to death, including organ failure, hemorrhage, infection, asphyxia, hypothermia, exsanguination, and hyperthermia.

Cessation of body organs

Organ failure.

Hemorrhage

Rupture of blood vessels and accumulation of blood.

Infection/Septicemia

Inflammatory response and organ failure.

Asphyxia

Insufficient oxygen in blood.

Hypothermia

Excessively low body temperature.

Exsanguination

Acute loss of blood from wounds.

Hyperthermia

Excessively high body temperature.

What are the three processes used to estimate time of death?

Temperature, activity before death, and body weight.

Temperature's Role in Rigor Mortis

Colder temperatures inhibit rigor mortis while water temperatures accelerate it.

Activity before Death

Aerobic exercise accelerates rigor due to lack of oxygen, while sleep causes slower rigor as muscles are fully oxygenated.

Body Weight's Effect on Rigor Mortis

Obese people have slower rigor due to fat better storing oxygen, while thinner people have faster rigor as the body loses oxygen quickly.

What are the four types of traumatic deaths?

Mechanical, thermal, electrical, and chemical deaths.

Mechanical Death

Injuries resulting from physical impact; can be blunt or sharp.

Thermal Death

Injuries caused by extreme temperatures (hot/cold) or thermal energy.

Electrical Death

Injuries caused by interactions with electrical current.

Chemical Death

Injuries resulted from exposure to hazardous and toxic substances.

Incision

Clean straight cut made by a sharp edged object, resulting in a smooth and well-defined wound.

Laceration

A jagged or irregular-shaped wound caused by tearing or stretching of the skin and underlying tissues, larger than incisions.

Amputation

The complete removal or total separation of a body part or limb from the rest of the body.

Abrasion

Superficial wound caused by rubbing or scraping of the skin against a rough surface.

Puncture

A deep wound caused by penetration of the skin.

Avulsion

A portion of the body being forcibly torn, which can be tissue or bone.

Contusion

Blunt force resulting in ruptured blood vessels, a bruise that appears as discoloration on the skin, often with swelling and tenderness.