What is an Autopsy?

Why is a Forensic Autopsy preformed?

Benefits of Autopsy Discover cause of death for:  Criminal cases  Family peace of mind  Insurance claims   Genetic disease or deformity Medical advancement

Cause of Death v. Manner of Death • • Accidental Undetermined

At the crime scene

 Photographs taken or body in original, found state  Hands wrapped in plastic bags for later evidence collection  Body temperature, lividity, and decomposition level measured  Body placed in bag or wrapped in evidence sheet for transport.

Physical Examination

External Examination Steps of an external examination.

1.

• • Photographs, X-rays.

Signs of injury or mistreatment Signs of illness, disease, or abnormalities 2.

3.

Physical evidence collected off body.

Samples of hair, nails, etc. are collected.

4.

5.

6.

Identifying marks (i.e. scars, tattoos) • Undressed, examined for wounds.

Lacerations, abrasions, bruises.

Measured, weighed, cleaned.

Physical Examination

External Examination Livor Mortis Defined as ‘Colour of Death’.

 Coloration of the skin.

Algor Mortis Defined as ‘Coolness of Death’.

 Temperature of body.

If within 12 hours: Time of death (hrs) = 37 o C – current body temp/0.78

Over 12 hours: Time of death = 27.64- current temp/0.39 + 12 • Thinner people cool faster then fat people.

Physical Examination

Pallor Mortis Defined as ‘Paleness of Death’.

 Tone of the body.

Rigor Mortis Defined as ‘Stiffness of Death’.

 Flexibility of the body.

• • • Shows up 2 hours after death Peaks 12 hours after death.

Takes 12-24 hours for entire rigor mortis effect to take place.

• The eyelids are affected first, the jaw, face, trunk, arms, legs.

• Ends after 24-36 hours.

Explaining rigor mortis

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct8 AbZn_A8A

Physical Examination

External Examination Approximate times for algor and rigor mortis in temperate regions Body temperature Body stiffness Time since death warm not stiff dead not more than three hours warm cold stiff stiff dead 3 to 8 hours dead 8 to 36 hours cold not stiff dead more than 36 hours SOURCE: Stærkeby, M. "What Happens after Death?" In the University of Oslo Forensic Entomology [web site]. Available from http://folk.uio.no/mostarke/forens_ent/afterdeath.shtml

The time frame for all stages is greatly dependent on surrounding conditions such as temperature and humidity.

Physical Examination

Types of Wounds (Trauma) 1.

Lacerations Lacerations 2.

Incised Wound 3.

Puncture 4.

Abrasion 5.

Contusion 6.

Gunshot

Abrasions Contusions Colour changes a bruise goes through can give rough estimate of time of injury • Dark blue/purple (1-18 hours) •Blue/brown (~1 to 2days) •Green (~ 2 to 3 days) •Yellow (~3 to 7 days) Assumes person is healthy.

Gunshot Wounds Things for pathologist to learn: • type of firearm • distance of gun to victim • entrance vs exit wounds • track of projectile Starring of a contact wound – barrel touching the skin Stippling – powder burns on the skin when the gun is inches to a few feet from the victim

 Opening the Chest Y shaped cut   The chest cavity is cut open using shears.

Skin & underlying tissue (muscle, fat, etc.) are then separated  The ribs are sawed away

Physical Examination

Internal Examination Removal of Organs  Examples of disease that may produce changes readily recognizable in the organs include atherosclerosis, cirrhosis of the liver, and coronary artery disease in the heart

• • Two methods for organ removal: Rokitansky procedure: all organs removed at once Virchow procedure: each organ removed separately and immediately examined Rokitansky Method

Physical Examination

All removed organs are now weighed and examined for unusual markings or signs.

Vitreous Humor • The levels of vitreous humor in the corpses eye tells us how long the victim been dead.

Physical Examination

Internal Examination Brain Examination   An incision is made from a point behind one ear, over the top of the head, to a point behind the opposite ear.

The scalp is pulled away from the skull, creating two flaps.

   The skull is then cut with a vibrating electric saw The brain is then cut from the spinal cord The spinal cord may also be taken by removing the anterior or posterior portion of the spinal column.

Two methods of cutting the skull cap • Brain is so soft it must be placed in 10% formaldehyde solution for 1-2 weeks before an in depth examination

Physical Examination

Internal Examination Closure  Performance of an autopsy does not interfere with an open casket funeral service