Vehicle-assisted ligature decapitation: A case report and a review of the literature.

Decapitation resulting by vehicle-assisted ligature strangulation is a suicide method rarely described in the literature. The lesions observed at autopsy have a common morphology with to those found in post-hanging decapitation. They depend on the force applied by the acceleration of the vehicle, the slope of the road and the characteristics of the link used. They can also mimic a stabbing homicide. We report the case of a 43-year-old man who used a long steel rope, attached between his neck and a streetlight, and started his vehicle, causing a complete decapitation. The results of the autopsy provided information on the morphology of the cervical lesions, but also on the causes of death. In spite of decapitation, the histological examination of the organs confirmed the presence of asphyxiation process by a mechanical origin that occurred before decapitation.

Toward the adoption of cementochronology in forensic context.

Because acellular dental cementum is considered to be formed continually throughout life and to not undergo remodeling processes, cementochronology is considered to be a method with the potential for directly assessing chronological age. Considering that most previous studies on humans have assumed the superior performance of this method, it is surprising that this technique is not more widely adopted in anthropology. To understand this controversy, we highlight that there is no standardized procedure for sample preparation. The numerous technical approaches that exist impact the reliability of the method, and the recent creation of an international work group (Cementochronology Research Program) demonstrates the need for researchers to share their experience to overcome these obstacles. This paper aims to address this paradox by debating the aspects that contribute to the limited use of this method and by illustrating its potential through an application on forensic cases. A protocol, which was recently certified according to the ISO-9001, was applied to nine anthropological cases from the Forensic Medicine Institute of Lille (northern France) and compared with routine osteological and dental methods. The results show that traditional methods matched the known age due to the wide extent of their range, while the accuracy and precision of cementochronological estimates was also notable. This paper establishes that cementochronology may serve as a particularly important tool for age estimation for forensic anthropologists and should, at least, be used in addition to other methods.

Use of larder beetles (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) to deflesh human jaws.

We describe new experimental data for the defleshing of human bones using larder beetles (Dermestes haemorrhoidalis) (Küster, 1852). Although the ability of larder beetles to feed on vertebrate remains has been, and still is, used by taxidermists to deflesh skulls and bones, this method has never been documented from a quantitative perspective and has over time become ignored in most forensic anthropology or odontology laboratories. To promote the rational and efficient use of this method, we performed experiments to estimate the quantity of food consumed by larvae. From the 2nd instar to nymphosis, each larva consumed a mean of 0.13±0.03 g of dry beef muscle. We then used 100±50 D. haemorrhoidalis adults and 100±50 larvae to deflesh human maxillae and mandibles sampled within a forensic context (victim identification). Each sample was weighed and photographed before, during and after the experiment. According to our experiments, 20-25 days were sufficient to completely deflesh all of the samples. We concluded that a small number of larder beetles can be used to efficiently deflesh human jaws. According to this result, the use of larder beetles appears to be an inexpensive, simple and efficient way to clean mandibles and maxillae. Furthermore, this method is DNA-safe (compared to usual maceration techniques) and thus allows the samples to be used for subsequent DNA and drug analyses.

Typical external skull beveling wound unlinked with a gunshot.

Lesions of the cranial vault resulting from firearms are traditionally described in forensic medical literature with many reports illustrating atypical bone lesions carried out to the skull by gunshot wounds. The authors present this report which illustrates an external beveled skull wound, associated with internal beveling damage, caused by a stabbing injury. A partially buried human skeleton was found in a forest. The examining of the skull revealed a hole resembling the exit wound caused by a bullet and two other smaller stab wounds. No typical entering bullet wound and no other bone lesions were found. During the course of the investigation, one of the perpetrators admitted to hitting the victim, using a sickle, and to hiding the body. For this purpose, he dragged the corpse with the sickle still implanted in the skull, using it as a hook. Upon retrieving the sickle, a piece of cranial vault was removed, thus creating an external beveled wound. In order to identify the mechanism which brought about this kind of lesion, experimental work was carried out on a human skull. In this particular case, the tip of the sickle penetrated into the bone, creating a lesion that would typically be produced with a stabbing instrument when applied with vertical force. When the body was dragged, using the sickle as a hook, this was a hand-produced vertical force, which was applied in the opposite direction. It caused the tearing of a piece of bone and the creation of an outer bevel. This atypical lesion should be made known to medical examiners and pathologists in order to help investigating and understanding of the circumstances of injuries.

Child barbarity and torture: a case report.

Penile strangulation with a strand of hair, acting as a tourniquet, and perforation of the eyes with a knife are uncommon accidental injuries in children. In such a situation, a mistreatment must be evoked. We present a case of barbarity and torture involving a young boy 3 years old. He was a victim of penis strangulation and perforation of the eyes, performed on previous surgical and infectious lesions. The mistreatment was performed by his mother's boyfriend. The perpetrator used the previous lesions to hide his misdeed. This amazing case of mistreatment points out the violence of the wounds and their being performed on previous lesions.

Determination of drug levels in larvae of Protophormia terraenovae and Calliphora vicina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) reared on rabbit carcasses containing morphine.

Two species of blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) were reared on tissues from rabbits administered different dosages of morphine. These species, Protophormia terraenovae and Calliphora vicina are among the first wave of insects colonizing a dead body. Two series of 3 rabbits were given dosages of 10, 20, and 40 mg/h of morphine over a 3 h period via ear artery perfusion. A morphine blood level plateau was attained after 1 h of perfusion. Two other rabbits were used as controls. Samples of tissues collected from rabbits using a coelioscopic technique were determined to have morphine concentrations similar to those encountered in human overdoses and were correlated with dosages of morphine administered. All samples from control rabbits were negative for morphine. Larvae and puparia of both species were regularly collected from each rabbit for toxicological analysis. Concentrations of morphine in larvae reared on rabbit carcasses containing morphine were significantly lower than concentrations found in the tissues. There was a decrease in concentration in morphine observed in transition from feeding 3rd instar larva to puparium. A correlation between larval concentration and tissue concentration was found only in feeding 3rd instar larvae.

Morphine perfused rabbits: a tool for experiments in forensic entomotoxicology.

In order to establish an animal model for entomotoxicological studies, the kinetics of morphine elimination from blood after a single intravenous injection of morphine and the concentration of morphine in tissues following a continuous perfusion were studied. The aim of these experiments was to obtain controlled morphine tissue concentrations similar to those encountered in fatal human heroin overdoses. These tissues can be used as a food source for developing fly larvae in entomotoxicological studies. In the single injection experiment, seven rabbits were administered 1 or 2 mg/kg body weight of morphine chlorhydrate via the main ear artery. Blood samples of 200 microL were removed regularly via a catheter. Morphine concentration was determined using RIA techniques. Morphine was found to be first rapidly distributed and then slowly eliminated, following a two-exponential equation. Elimination of morphine from blood can be described as a two-compartment model. Constants of the equation were determined using the Kaleidagraph program. Using those constants, the main pharmacokinetics parameters were calculated. Results of these parameters showed the following: clearance from 13.3 to 16.2 L.h.1, half-life of the distribution phase from 0.6 to 0.9 min, and half-life of the elimination phase from 21 to 26 min. These results were used to calculate the rate of perfusion of morphine for rabbits to obtain desired, controlled, and constant concentrations of morphine in tissues. In the second experiment, three rabbits received a perfusion of morphine intravascularly at a rate of 2 mg/kg/h for a period of 3 h. These rabbits were sacrificed and analyses performed on several abdominal and thoracic organs. Results showed that the concentrations of morphine differed according to the organ analyzed, but were reproducible for organs between animals. These concentrations were similar to those normally encountered in cases of human death due to heroin overdoses.

Determination of drug levels in larvae of Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) reared on rabbit carcasses containing morphine.

This study concerns the determination of morphine concentrations in fly larvae reared on rabbits administered different concentrations of morphine and a correlation between concentrations of the drug in larvae and tissues. Three rabbits (R1, R2 and R3) were given dosages of 12.5, 25.0 and 50.0 mg/h of morphine over a 3 h period via continuous ear artery perfusion. These dosages and time of perfusion were calculated to create tissue concentrations of morphine similar to those encountered in human death due to overdose. Morphine blood level plateau was attained after 1 h of perfusion. A fourth rabbit was used as a control. To evaluate drug concentrations, tissues were sampled using a coelioscopic technique. Approximately 400 eggs of Lucilia sericata, all of the same age category, were placed in eyes, nostrils and mouth of each rabbit carcass. Larvae and puparia were regularly collected from each rabbit for toxicological analysis. The concentrations of the drug in the tissues sampled were determined to be similar to those normally encountered in human overdoses and were correlated with the dosage of morphine that had been administered. Morphine was detected in all larvae and pupae fed on tissues from carcasses administered morphine, except for puparia from the colony fed on the R1 animal which received 12.5 mg/h dosage of morphine. All samples from the control rabbit were negative for morphine. Concentrations of morphine in larvae reared on rabbit carcasses containing morphine were 30 to 100 times lower than the concentrations found in the tissues. A correlation between the tissue concentrations and larval concentrations was found in only 3rd instar larvae (80 to 140 h following hatching). No correlations were found between administered dosages, tissue concentrations and younger larvae, prepuparial larvae or puparia.

Effects of morphine in decomposing bodies on the development of Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae).

This study concerns the effects of morphine in tissues on the rate of development of Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) using those tissues as a food source. Lucilia sericata is a species of fly commonly found on human corpses in Europe during the early stages of decomposition and thus of forensic interest. Three rabbits were administered 12.5, 25.0 and 50.0 mg/h of morphine chlorhydrate via ear perfusion over a period of 3 h. These dosages and duration of perfusion were calculated to give tissue concentrations of morphine similar to those encountered in fatal human overdoses. A fourth rabbit was used as a control. Following administration of the drug, rabbits were sacrificed and 400 eggs of Lucilia sericata, all of the same age, were placed in the eyes, nostrils and mouth of each rabbit. Developing larvae were sampled daily to determine growth rate and weight. Puparia and emerging adult flies were also sampled. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Student's T-test. Results of this study show that an underestimation of the postmortem interval of 24 h is possible if the presence of morphine in tissues is not considered. This study demonstrates again the necessity of considering the possible effects of drugs in tissues on insect growth rates when estimating the postmortem interval using entomological techniques.

A case of fatal salt water intoxication following an exorcism session.

In response to a recent article published in this review, we present in this paper, an unusual case of fatal salt water intoxication. In this case, we point out three special features, the type of water ingested, the physiopathologic consequences of the ingestion and the very strange context of occurrence. This complex case allows us to point out complications due to salt poisoning and others caused by water intoxication.

[The previous status]. / L'état antérieur.

The assessment of the condition prior to the traumatism by the expert is one of the main point of the medico-legal expertise and also one of most difficult. The aim of the report is to inform the settler, magistrate or insurance company, in a field in which he is not competent. He will have particularly to precise what has been the simultaneous evolution of the condition prior to the traumatism and of the traumatism. The consequences will be different according to the legislation.

The oral health status of drug addicts. A prison survey in Lille, France.

The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence of decayed, missing and filled teeth among the inmates of the jail of Loos (France) and to assess the impact of drug addiction, especially heroin, on these parameters of oral health. A representative sample was selected and two groups were compared: heroin addicts and non-drug addicts. The same dentist examined 93 inmates, males and females, from age 16 to 35. The results found a significant difference of DMFT index between the groups, with a higher value of DMFT for the heroin users. This investigation also highlighted atypical caries lesions among the heroin addicts.