An Unusual Hanging Case Mistaken as Homicidal Strangulation in the Scene of a Fire / 대한법의학회지

Here, we report an autopsy case of an unusual hanging that was misinterpreted as a case of homicidal strangulation, as th body was found on the scene of a house fire. A 29-year-old unmarried woman hanged herself from the gas pipe using a bath towel. Subsequently, the pipe broke and a fire broke out after an explosion. However, as the initial postmortem investigation revealed the absence of cherry-pink lividity and as a burnt bath towel was found around her neck, this case was misunderstood as a case of arson after homicidal strangulation. The cause and manner of death in this case were finally determined based on the autopsy findings of ligature marks that are typically noted in cases of hanging and the presence of a burnt electric lock and a broden gas pipe that were noted at the suicide scene.

Pattern of ligature mark in cases of compressed neck in Rajkot region: a prospective study.

Ligature mark may be the only evidence available in cases of asphyxial deaths due to either hanging or strangulation. A through examination of the ligature mark and analysis of the information provided by it is therefore, a must to arrive at the most probable cause of death and differentiate between hanging and the ligature strangulation. A prospective study was conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine, P.D.U. Medical College & Hospital, Rajkot from January 2008 to December 2008. During that period out of 2159 cases, 90 cases of hanging and 7 cases of ligature strangulation were selected for the present study. We found that deaths due to hanging constituted 4.17% of the total unnatural deaths subjected to medicolegal autopsy; young adults of the age group 21 to 30 years accounted for the maximum cases 40% and the male: female ratio was 2:1. Chunni (34.44%) was the most common ligature material used. The mark was obliquely placed (100% cases) above thyroid cartilage (80% cases). In all the cases of ligature strangulation the mark was transverse and below the level of thyroid cartilage.

Pattern of neck findings in suicidal hanging A study in Manipur.

Deaths due to hanging are common among suicides. In a study on 84 cases of suicidal hanging brought for autopsy to the mortuary of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal during 2004 to 2008, it was observed that 77.38% of the cases were males and 22.62% were females. The highest number of victims was in the age range of 21-40 years. 73.81% of the cases committed suicide indoors and 57.14% of them used ropes as ligature material. 85.75% of the victims had fixed knots with a single turn and 10.71% had slip knots. Complete atypical hanging constituted 88.10% of the cases. 23.81% of the cases had tear of the carotid artery and 3.57% had hyoid fractures. None of the cases had cricoid or trachea fractures. The neck findings vary depending upon the composition, multiplicity and tightness of the ligature material used, the suspension time, type of hanging, etc. Hence, the possible findings in a suspected case of hanging must be always anticipated so as to avoid any erroneous opinion.

A drop of saliva de-codes the mystery of hanging body.

A Forensic Expert sometimes asked to provide his opinion from the documents alone, particularly when the allegations were raised on the investigations, and the postmortem. Spot examinations were carried out by other doctor(s) and Forensic Scientists respectively. In the instant case there were allegations made on the fellow sports student, coach, and the investigating agencies all in connivance to pronounce the death as of suicidal hanging instead of murder. It is well known that the criminals first kill the person and then hang him to simulate it as hanging. Whenever, alcohol is detected in the blood than it creates a lot of doubts, which result into allegations from the relatives. Beside the examination of clothes, the injuries like ligature mark, their shape, size and location etc., thorough reviewing of documents & photographs plays a pivotal role in reconstructing the scene of crime. This has an importance in forming a conclusive opinion as to the cause and manner of death. In this paper, opinion regarding cause and manner of death to be of ante-mortem hanging was ascertained on reviewing the post-mortem report, photographs showing dribbling of saliva and Forensic Science Laboratory reports.

Ligature mark on neck: How informative.

Many a times, a ligature mark may be the only evidence available in cases of asphyxial deaths due either to hanging or strangulation. A through examination of the ligature mark and analysis of the information provided by it, is therefore, a must to arrive at the most probable cause of death and differentiate between hanging and the ligature strangulation. A retrospective study was conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh, between 1997 to 2004 to assess the information provided by a ligature mark in such cases. We found that deaths due to hanging constituted 3.4% of the total unnatural deaths subjected to medicolegal autopsy; young adults, of the age group 21 to 25 years accounted for the maximum cases, 27%; and the male: female ratio was 2:1. Chunni was the most common ligature material used. Majority of the victims preferred multiple knots (61%) and fixed knots (58%) and a single loop (93%). The mark was obliquely placed (98% cases) above the larynx (85% cases). In all the cases of ligature strangulation, the mark was transverse, below the level of thyroid cartilage. Imprint over the groove when present, corresponded with the ligature material used in all the cases. It was concluded that a thorough, scientific examination of the ligature mark, though not conclusive, but is the most important part of the postmortem examination of deaths due to hanging and ligature strangulation.