death

Name the jobs of a medical examiner. 

igure out how someone died

Decide if the death was natural, accidental, suicide, or homicide

test for drugs and poisons

Name one natural cause of death and one accidental cause of death. 

One natural cause of death is a heart attack.
One accidental cause of death is a car crash.

Describe the appearance of an abrasion. 

scrape or scratch

really red and raw

like when you fall and scrape your knee

Describe a contusion. 

basically a bruise

small blood vessels break but skin doesnt

look purple or blue

Describe a laceration. 

deep cut or tear in skin

bleeds alot and might show tissue

1. Describe ‘defensive wounds’- where are they found on the body? Why are they there? 

Defensive wounds are injuries someone gets when they’re trying to protect themselves during an attack. They’re usually found on the hands, arms, and sometimes legs,

Name one thing that can be learned by examining the stomach contents during an autopsy.

time of death

1. What is livor mortis? 

blood settles to lower part of body because of gravity

make skin look purple or red in those areas

whats algor mortis

• It’s when the body cools down after death

• Body loses heat until it matches room temperature

• Happens slowly over several hours

• Helps figure out time of death based on how cold the body is

1. What are some variables that can slow down algor mortis?

• Being in a warm place or hot weather

• Wearing lots of clothes or blankets

• Being in water (if the water is warm)

• High body fat (fat keeps heat longer)

• Illness or fever before death (body starts hotter)

1. What is rigor mortis?

• Muscles tighten up and become hard

• Starts about 2-4 hours after death

• Fully stiff around 12 hours

• Goes away after 24-48 hours when muscles relax again

• Helps estimate how long someone has been dead

1. What are the first parts of the body to fall into rigor mortis?

• Face muscles (like around the jaw)

• Neck

• Hands and fingers

These parts get stiff first because their muscles are smaller and use up energy faster after death.

1. Put these events in order starting with what happens first after death:

1. Open eyes are cloudy

2. Rigor mortis first begins

3. Body is in full rigor

4. Livor mortis becomes fixed

1. What conditions cause a body to decay very quickly? 

• Hot temperatures – Heat speeds up bacteria growth

• High humidity – Moist air helps bacteria and bugs thrive

• Open wounds – Makes it easier for bacteria to spread

• Insects (like flies) – Lay eggs that turn into maggots

• Not being buried – Exposed bodies break down faster

• Being in water (warm water especially) – Can speed up decay

1. Which tissue holds evidence of poisoning for the longest time? 

hair

1. A body is found in the ocean, but the ME believes the victim drowned in freshwater. What evidence would support his theory? Name two!

1. Water in the lungs is freshwater – The ME can test the water inside the lungs to see if it matches freshwater.

2. Diluted blood – Freshwater can enter the bloodstream and cause red blood cells to burst, which is something that wouldn’t happen with saltwater.

1. Which of these blow flies will be the MOST helpful for determining the Post Mortem Interval? Why?

   • Adult fly

   • 12mm larvae

   • Pupa

   • Egg

   • 20mm larvae

20mm larvae will be the most helpful for figuring out the Post Mortem Interval (PMI).

Why:

• They're the oldest stage before becoming a pupa, so they give the best clue about how long the body has been there.

• The bigger the larvae, the longer they’ve been feeding, which helps estimate how many days have passed since death.

1. Based on its size, a maggot appears to be 5 days old. However, the body has been found in temperatures below 70 degrees. What does this mean for determining the Post Mortem Interval?

If the maggot looks 5 days old but the temps were below 70°F, that means:

• The maggot developed slower because cooler temps slow down insect growth

• So, the actual time since death is probably longer than 5 days

• The cooler weather made it take more time for the maggot to reach that size

In short: The body’s been there longer than the maggot’s age suggests.

1. What is happening to the body during the Active stage of decay? 

• Body starts breaking down fast

• Strong smell from gases made by bacteria

• Skin may blister or peel

• Fluids leak out (like from the mouth or nose)

• Insects (like maggots) are very active, feeding on the body

• Tissues start to liquefy

1. Describe two characteristics of a victim that died by asphyxiation. 

Here are two common signs of a victim who died by asphyxiation (when they couldn’t breathe):

1. Petechial hemorrhages – Tiny red or purple dots, usually in the eyes or eyelids, caused by pressure from lack of oxygen.

2. Bluish skin or lips (called cyanosis) – Happens because there wasn’t enough oxygen in the blood.

3. Swollen face or neck – Pressure from not breathing can cause puffiness or swelling in those areas.

4. Foam around the nose or mouth – A frothy fluid might come out, especially if the person struggled to breathe before dying.

These also help show that the person died from being unable to breathe.