Sings of Death Include: - -Lack of Pulse/Respiration
-Absence of Heartbeat
-Lack of Corneal Reflex and Pupillary Constriction
-Coolness of the Body
-Rigor Mortis
-Livor Mortis
Rigor Mortis - Stiffness of the body that sets in several hours after death
Rigor Mortis (Continued) - -Starts in the smaller muscles (jaw, extremities)
**First Indicator appears after 2-4 hours**
**Maximum Indicator is after 8-12 hours**
-Onset and Dissipation of rigor is rapid in children compared to adults
Livor Mortis - The pooling of the blood in tissues after death resulting in a reddish
color to the skin
Livor Mortis (Continued) - -Takes approximately 2-4 hours to develop
-As interval extends, the livor becomes fixed and will not blanch on pressure
-Generally, livor is fixed after 8-12 hours after death
Tardieu Spots - In advance stages of livor mortis, the skin capillaries often rupture
and cause pin point hemorrhages
Eye Changes after Death - -Clouding (occurring 1-2 hours)
-Sclera Dryness (TACHE NOIR)
Body Temperature - -Rate at which bodies cool is NOT uniform!!!
Algor Mortis - Cooling of the body after death
Decomposition Patterns - 24 hours: greenish discoloration of right, lower abdomen
24-36 hours: greenish discoloration of the abdomen
36-48 hours: marbling, bloating of the face
48-60 hours: desiccation (drying) of the fingertips
60-72 hours: bloating of the body (purging)
4-7 days: skin blebs, hair sloughing, skin slippage
days-weeks: dehydration of the body tissues
weeks-months: adipocere, mummification, skeletonization
Inspect the Body (External: Head) - -Examine the scalp for hidden trauma!
, -Lacerations may stick together; bullet wounds may be obscured
-Inspect ears for hemorrhage/foreign bodies
-Evaluate eyes for petechial hemorrhages, jaundice, or trauma
-Oral cavity may reveal trauma, foreign bodies, or evidence of poor hygiene
-Nasal Septum may be perforated due to chronic cocaine abuse
Inspect the Body (External: Neck) - -Any identifiable trauma should be documented
-DO NOT recover specimens from neck veins of homicide victims (it might create
trauma)
-View the posterior neck as well!
-Examine the neck for evidence of enlarged lymph nodes, thyroid, and/or other
masses
-Palpate the neck with PASSIVE flexion and extension to reveal fractures
Inspect the Body (External: Chest) - -Examine the dimensions of the chest,
documenting the anterior-posterior size
-An enlarged, barrel-shaped chest is a sign of chronic lung disease.
-Palpate the breasts for any masses
Inspect the Body (External: Abdomen) - -Palpate the abdomen to detect the presence
of fluid or masses.
-Excessive fluid may represent liver cirrhosis or failure.
-Document recent and remote surgical incisions.
-Trauma may not be readily apparent over the abdominal wall due to the elasticity of
the tissues
Inspect the Body (External: External Genitalia) - -Examine the external genitalia in
the MALE for masses, ulcerations, and surgery.
-Note the presence or absence of circumcision
-IN FEMALE, examine for prolapse of the uterus, masses, trauma, and ulcerations
Inspect the Body (External: Lower Extremities) - -Fractures of the hip are usually
indicated by the shortening and external rotation of the limbs
-Look for any trauma, fractures, burns, and scratches.
-Ascertain the presence of edema or brownish discoloration, suggestive of congestive
heart failure.
Inspect the Body (External: Upper Extremities) - -Examine color and appearance of
fingernails (torn or fractured fingernails may indicate a struggle.
-DO NOT attempt to fingerprint the decedent until trace evidence has been
recovered.
-Examine the antecubital fossae of the arm for the presence of perforations or
hemorrhage, which may indicate drug abuse.
-Examine wrists for scarring, suggestive of past suicide attempts
Voordelen van het kopen van samenvattingen bij Stuvia op een rij:
Verzekerd van kwaliteit door reviews
Stuvia-klanten hebben meer dan 700.000 samenvattingen beoordeeld. Zo weet je zeker dat je de beste documenten koopt!
Snel en makkelijk kopen
Je betaalt supersnel en eenmalig met iDeal, creditcard of Stuvia-tegoed voor de samenvatting. Zonder lidmaatschap.
Focus op de essentie
Samenvattingen worden geschreven voor en door anderen. Daarom zijn de samenvattingen altijd betrouwbaar en actueel. Zo kom je snel tot de kern!
Veelgestelde vragen
Wat krijg ik als ik dit document koop?
Je krijgt een PDF, die direct beschikbaar is na je aankoop. Het gekochte document is altijd, overal en oneindig toegankelijk via je profiel.
Tevredenheidsgarantie: hoe werkt dat?
Onze tevredenheidsgarantie zorgt ervoor dat je altijd een studiedocument vindt dat goed bij je past. Je vult een formulier in en onze klantenservice regelt de rest.
Van wie koop ik deze samenvatting?
Stuvia is een marktplaats, je koop dit document dus niet van ons, maar van verkoper Boffin. Stuvia faciliteert de betaling aan de verkoper.
Zit ik meteen vast aan een abonnement?
Nee, je koopt alleen deze samenvatting voor €10,62. Je zit daarna nergens aan vast.