Bodies From Water Flashcards
Definition of drowning
Aphyxia (suffocation) due to immersion of nostrils and mouth in a liquid
Suffocation (asphyxia) caused by liquid entering the lungs and preventing the absorption of oxygen leading to cerebral hypoxia and cardiac arrest
Death due to submersion in liquid
Possible manners of death in bodies from water
Accident
Suicide
Homicide
Natural
Causes of accidental drowning
Alcohol use Head injury Toddlers falling in Children playing in rivers Diving in shallow water Snorkelling and SCUBA diving Boating accidents Fishing
Causes of suicidal drowning
Often associated with alcohol and drugs Circumstances offer best clues Clothes may be left Ligatures and weights Suitable typical locations - bridges Injuries from impact with water
Causes of homicidal drowning
Rare as an actual method
Immersion is a common method of disposal of body or concealment of homicide
Causes of natural drowning
Range from natural (died before in water) , mixture, drowning ( die whatever natural diseases present) Collapse and fall into water Hot bath Exertion of swimming Underlying medical conditions - heart disease - epilepsy
How to tell if alive or dead at time of entry to water
Artefacts of immersion occur whether alive or dead - injuries - gooseflesh - washerwomen change Vital phenomena means was alive in water - foam in airways - emphysema aquosum - foreign material inhaled/swallowed - shoulder muscle bruising - middle ear haemorrhage
How to estimate duration of immersion
Estimation based on presence of PM changes
Body temperature
- dependent on water temperature
- naked body cools 2x faster in water than air
- accelerated by moving water/currents
- retarded by clothing
Rigor mortis
Hypostasis
- may never set in if body buffeted in turbulent sea
Decomposition
Features of decomposition in water
At similar average temperatures corresponding degrees of putrefaction - in open air for 1 week - immersed for 2 weeks - buried for 8 weeks Approx. 50% slower than air Delayed by - cold water temperature - moving water currents Accelerated by - warm water temperature - water pollution
Features of duration of immersion
Over-ridding factor is water temperature
< few hours = no wrinkling of finger pads
12-30 hours = wrinkled fingers, palms and feet
4-10 days = early decomposition in dependent head, neck and abdomen and thighs
2-4 weeks = bloating of face and abdomen, venous marbling and peeling of epidermis on hands and feet, scalp slippage
1-2 months = gross skin shedding, muscle loss and exposure of skeleton
Features of body floating position
Face down Chest and abdomen most buoyant Head dangles downwards - lividity and injuries to prominences of face due to impact on rocks when washed along shallows Arms and legs dangle down
Features that affect sinking and refloating of body
Specific gravity of body is similar to water
- air trapped in clothes increases
- air in lungs displaced by water decreasing buoyancy
- heavy items in pockets decreases buoyancy
Putrefactive gases with refloat a sunken body
- time depends on water temperature
- average 1-2 weeks
- exposed body undergoes accelerated decomposition
Features of Artefacts of Immersion
Occur irrespective of death
Injuries
- entry impact - from height into water
- fractured ribs and humerus
- rocks and river/sea bed - flowing/tidal water
- abrasions to prominent features
- fish and crab activity
- above trouser line, prominent features, eye balls
- eat in circular motion
- hard to latch onto smooth surfaces
Gooseflesh - cutis anserina
- pilor rectus muscles contract pulling hair follicle and hair erect, pulls skin down giving bump
Washerwoman change - maceration
- keratin starts to wrinkle
- skin whitens
- as becomes more advanced get loosening of skin and loss of top layer
Undressing by water movement
- movement of clothing rubs away epidermis
Chromogenic bacteria cause skin pigmentation
- algae growth browns exposed skin
- able to be wiped off
Adipocere
- tissues replaced by waxy, fatty, white substance
Identification of bodies in water
Circumstances Personal effects Fingerprints DNA Dental X-rays Surgical operations
Causes of death in immersion in cold water
Diving response - immersion of face in cold water
- apnoea
- peripheral vasoconstriction
- bradycardia
Cold shock response - sudden immersion in cold water
- sudden cooling of skin
- reflex gasp
- hyperventilation - feeling breathless makes swimming more difficult
- breath holding time reduced to 20 seconds
- increased HR and BP - may induce arrhythmia
2 responses may compete and induce cardia arrhythmias
