Meatpie's Atlas of Forensic Medicine

Various suicides with helium bottle from Germany.

 
39-year-old cross-dresser autoerotic in Germany.

The histological examination revealed no abnormalities other than a pronounced hemorrhagic pulmonary edema. The chemical toxicological examination and the blood alcohol test were negative. The cause of death was external suffocation due to strangulation with significantly restricted or obstructed mouth breathing and prone position. A vibrator was found that had been inserted deep into the rectum and wrapped in plastic film. He also tried electo but it didn't work.

 
This case demonstrates the death of a 69 year old male which has occurred in the setting of a complex autoerotic environment, not as a result of asphyxiation, but rather as a result of natural causes which is likely to have been brought about by repeated similar activity. The autopsy revealed pulmonary emboli and lower limb deep vein thrombosis. There was no other natural disease of note and no features considered typical of asphyxiation.

Death was due to pulmonary thromboemboli. The likely source was lower leg deep vein thrombosis in the setting of prolonged and repeated lower limb strapping including flexion at the knee.

 
Fatal mountain accident in Germany. Cracked spine, skull and limbs.

 
A 26-year-old man was found dead in his room by his father. The victim lived with his parents. The deceased was alone at the time of death and the doors were locked
from the inside. Scene investigation revealed that no one else was involved. The victim was wearing a condom.

Near his body, a notebook displaying pornographic images was found. A white plastic bag tightly covered the victim’s head and neck, occluding the mouth and nose and it was tied to a metal chain. The metal chain ran from the plastic bag to his underwear (female) and from these he was suspended from the ceiling. The chain had been passed over roof rafter and fastened to the handle on the other side. The arrangement of the chains resembled that which has been previously found in homicides.

 


The body of a 30-year-old man was found hanged in the living room of his flat on the ground floor. A neighbour had informed the police after seeing the body through the window from outside. The body was dressed with an orange- gray pullover, dark cotton tracksuit pants and a pair of socks. There were no underpants.

Both legs of the victim were touching the floor with the right leg being extended and the left leg bent at the knee joint more or less at a right angle. The left hand was inside the waistband of the trousers close to the genital region.

The tool used for strangulation was a thick plaited plastic rope (approximately 1 cm in diameter) which formed a slip-knot deeply impressed into the anterior and lateral soft tissue parts of the neck. The knot was at the highest point of the hanging mark on the left side of the nape of the neck behind the left ear. The noose was not padded against the skin of the neck. The other end of the rope had been passed over the upper edge of the door and fastened to the handle on the other side. The deceased was wearing headphones connected to the computer which was running and in full view of the victim. The screen showed the picture of an allegedly hanged female (the last section of a so-called snuff video).

At the forensic autopsy, the following findings were documented.

Hypostasis was no longer displaceable, and the localization was consistent with a hanging position of the body after death. A 1.5-cm-wide strangulation mark was present rising on both sides of the neck with the highest point being localized at the nape of the neck behind the left ear. On the ligature, peeled off epidermal flakes were found.

Hemorrhages caused by strain on the points of attachment of both mm. sternocleidomastoidei were present as a sign of vital hanging.

The skin above the hanging mark and the mucous membranes of the face were pale and free of petechial hemorrhages. The tongue was behind the teeth, and the tissue of the tongue did not show any blood extravasation.

Moreover, advanced sarcoidosis with numerous grayishwhite nodules up to 5 mm in size was found in both lungs, especially the upper lobes, as well as the liver and the spleen. In the thorax and the abdomen, further lymph node conglomerates sized up to 5 cm could be demonstrated.

Histologically, there were characteristic epithelioid cell granulomas without central caseation containing numerous Langhans’ giant cells with typical nuclei arranged in an arciform manner.

The alcohol concentration was 0.21 g/l in femoral venous blood and 0.35 g/l in urine.
 
A 49-year-old man was found dead in front of a building. A stairway window (freely accessible, 9th floor) directly above a porch (1st floor) was open. Witnesses close to the building heard a noise and found the man lying on the ground, but the fall itself had not been observed. Emergency personnel were called to the scene immediately, but on arrival—7 min after the incident—resuscitation procedures were not carried out, as the man was dead at the scene.

 
Mixed hangings and drownings.

 
Beautiful tight white dead ass and a hanged lad.

 
A 20-year-old man was found dead on a highway.

 
More asphyxia.

 
Postmortem animal predation.

 
Young guy with epilepsy found dead prone in bed.

 
Final exit suicide. Tube connected to a helium tank and inserted into a plastic bag placed over the head. Cause of death: Asphyxia by covering of head with fastened plastic bag and displacement of oxygen by helium gas.

 
Two cases of falls from great height the second dude was hiking high in the mountains with the fist case involving detruncation (hemicorporectomy or truncal transection), which is complete separation of the trunk below the shoulders and above the hips, through major organs and vessels.

Activities in the mountains are associated with risks of accidents that can cause death. Knowledge regarding determination of death at the scene of an incident is important for medical and other mountain rescue personnel. In a mountain environment, there may be objective hazards such as rockfall, avalanches, inclement weather, bad visibility, and low partial pressure of oxygen at high altitudes, limiting the work capacity of rescuers. These affect the safety of the rescue team, which must always take priority when deciding whether a rescue should be undertaken. If the victim is declared dead, a rescue mission could be aborted for safety reasons, and evacuation of the body could take place later when conditions are safer. Furthermore, unnecessary medical interventions, such as futile attempts at cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), could be avoided. Determination of death can be particularly helpful in incidents with several victims or when multiple incidents occur simultaneously by allowing resources to be reallocated and rescue personnel to be assigned to other duties. Finally, the workload of the hospital team can be reduced by preventing unnecessary admissions.

Death must be determined with absolute certainty. Incorrect determination of death, with failure to perform CPR, may lead to an avoidable death with emotional and legal consequences for the rescuers5 and more distress for the next of kin.


Detruncation after a fall from a height in rough terrain.
 
Autoerotic death with cock torture.

The body of 69-year-old man was found death at his home address. The body was lying face down with exposed genitalia which were tightly bandaged by rubber bands and shoe laces. The man was dressed in kiss-patterned boxers. A lubricated vibrator densely covered with silicone lubricant was found in the close vicinity of the body. Additionally, there was plenty of various pornographic materials found at the scene. At autopsy, a lubricant-like substance was found within upper airways.

 
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