Lesson 3 Flashcards
Seven S’s
Secure, Separate, Scan, See, Sketch, Search, Secure and collect.
What is the thing you do when arriving at the scene (hint: a number)
Seven S’s
Death (forensic terms)
Someone is considered dead when there is irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory function
Medical examination (what’s it aid?)
- Aids prosecution of criminal activity
- Protects public health
- Aids in Civil Justice
Investigation
- Determine manner/cause/mechanism of death
- I.D person
Estimate time of death - Collect evd.
- Document injuries and how they occurred
- Provide expert testimony (if needed)
- Determine disease
Manner of Death (definition)
classification of death based on circumstances
The 5 Manners of Death
- Homicide
- Suicide
- Natural
- Accidental
- Undetermined
Cause of Death
The injury or disease that is responsible for the death
Mechanism of death
Professor words: What exactly happened to your body
Professional: The physiologic derangement due to the case that results in death (EX: asphixiation)
Homicide
Taking of a life by another
*Murders legal term
Investigating death scene (look fors)
- Where, Who, What, When
- WHERE’S the scene located
- WHO: ID body (ex: scientific-DNA, dental, fingerprint)
- WHAT and WHEN did this happen
TOD meaning
Time of Death
PMI meaning
Postmortem interval
Decomposition- Chemical
Process which breaks down body (depending on environment)
1. Fresh (skin and meat still there)
2. Bloat (skins become puffier)
3. Active decay (maggots with skinner hands and skin still intact
4. Advanced decay. (almost gone with a few remains still there
5. Dry remains (bone)
Putrefaction
The process or decay or rotting in a body
Decomposition
Autolysis and putrefaction are the 2 stages of chemical decomposition
Autolysis
Self-digestion occurring immediately after death
- Cell membranes breakdown releasing enzymes
Livor Mortis
Think of the color of the Liver
- purply red
- pooling of blood in the body after death
- starts within 30 mins
- fixed between 8-12 hrs
- Contact Pallor occurs when the vessels are compressed
Tardieu spots
Occurs in advanced stage of Livor Mortis due to burst capillaries
- (sometimes in eyes or face)
Carbon Monoxide vs Livor Mortis
CO poisoning - more cherry red / distinct red toned lividity due to COH bonding
Traditional lividity - Mix of red and purple hues
Rigor Mortis
- Begins 2 hrs after death in the head (small to large muscles)
- Max around 12 hrs then decreasing
- Usually fully gone at 24 hrs
- Dependent on temp
Algor Mortis
- Cooling of the body after death
- Body trying to maintain homeostasis after death for 1 hr then normally losing 1.4 degrees until reaching ambient temp
- Depending on weather, exposure, environment, and personal natural temp
