Death

2. Death Meaning, manner, mechanism, cause and time

3. How do we define Death? Is a person with a heartbeat alive even if there is no brain activity? Death is a process not an event Physiologists; when the heart stops beating, the cells begin to die O2 levels drop Basic processes of the body fails Nerves, muscles, organs stop working, Stoppage Once enough cellular death occurs life cannot restart

4. Forensic Pathologist Examination of the deceased, Autopsy Investigations normally are called upon when the death is: Sudden violent unexplained deaths Investigators will look into Manner Cause And mechanism of death Questions sought to answer: Who is the victim What injuries are present When did the injuries occur Why and how were the injuries produced

6. Forensic Pathology • Autopsy performed to establish cause of death. • Classifications of the manner of Death • *Natural • *Accident • *Suicide • *Homicide • *Undetermined

7. Manner of Death Five ways people die Natural Interruption and failure of bodily function resulting from age or disease Accidental Unplanned event Suicidal A person purposely kills oneself Homicidal Death of one person caused by another Undetermined Suicidal or accidental Pills, guns

8. Identify what is the Manner of Death? Why? Case 1: A man with a heart condition is attacked and dies from a heart attack during the assault. Case 2: An elderly woman dies after being kept from receiving proper health care by her son.

9. Time of Death

10. Estimating Time of Death • Rigor mortis • Livor mortis: (Lividity) • Algor mortis: Body Core Temperature • Potassium levels in vitreous humor + Clouding of the cornea • Stomach Contents • Evidence of Decompositional Process • Presence/absence of purge fluids • Drying of the tissue • Insect Larval Instars

11. Algor Mortis Uses body temperature to determine time of death Normal body temperature is 370C (98.60F) A body loses heat at a rate of 1.40C per hour until the ambient temperature is reached Rate varies according to environmental temperature Once ambient temperature is reached, you cannot use this method to determine time of death

12. Question: What are some Factors that would affect Algor Mortis? Ambient temperature Wind? Excess body fat? Clothing

13. Rigor mortis: • The medical condition that occurs after death • Results in the shortening of muscle tissue and thestiffening of body parts • Body stays in the position they are in when death occurs • Begins within 12 hours and ends after 48 hours • After 48 hours, muscle cells begin to autolyse

14. Rigor Mortis

15. Figure 49.31 The structure of skeletal muscle

16. Figure 49.33 One hypothesis for how myosin-actin interactions generate the force for muscle contraction (Layer 1)

17. Figure 49.33 One hypothesis for how myosin-actin interactions generate the force for muscle contraction (Layer 2)

18. Figure 49.33 One hypothesis for how myosin-actin interactions generate the force for muscle contraction (Layer 3)

19. Figure 49.33 One hypothesis for how myosin-actin interactions generate the force for muscle contraction (Layer 4)

20. Rigor Mortis The biochemical cause of rigor mortis is hydrolysis of ATP in the muscle tissue, the chemical energy source required for movement. Myosin molecules devoid of ATP become permanently adherent to actin filaments and muscles become rigid.”

21. What are some factors affecting Rigor mortis ? • Ambient temperature, • Cooler the body the slower the onset of rigor • Person’s weight • Fat stores more oxygen and slow rigor • Type of clothing • Helps keep the body warm • Illness • Dies with a fever? What would you expect? • Hypothermic? What would you expect? • Level of physical activity • Struggling before death rigor, What would you expect? • Sun exposure, • Sun tanner? What would you expect?

22. Estimating Time of Death • Rigor mortis • Livor mortis: (Lividity) • Algor mortis: Body Core Temperature • Potassium levels in vitreous humor + Clouding of the cornea • Stomach Contents • Evidence of Decompositional Process • Presence/absence of purge fluids • Drying of the tissue • Insect Larval Instars

23. Livor mortis * Is a settling of the blood in the lower portion of the body ** Causing a purplish red discoloration of the skin. *** Discoloration does not occur in the areas of the body that are in contact with the ground or another object,

24. 3. Livor mortis

25. Autopsy and time of death cont… Livor mortis: the medical condition thatoccurs after death and results in the settlingof blood in areas of the body closest to theground • Evident 30-120 minutes postmortem • 8-12 hours (24-36 hours in cooler temps) postmortem- maximum color or “fixed” livor mortis due to hemolysis (blood vessels break down) • May occur antemortem (before death) in slow deaths • Can congest internal organs

26. Estimating Time of Death • Rigor mortis • Livor mortis: (Lividity) • Algor mortis: Body Core Temperature • Potassium levels in vitreous humor + Clouding of the cornea • Stomach Contents • Evidence of Decompositional Process • Presence/absence of purge fluids • Drying of the tissue • Insect Larval Instars

27. Potassium levels in vitreous humor + Clouding of the cornea Cornea is the clear covering of your eyes Becomes cloudy and opaque after death Takes only a few hours after death if eyes are open at death It takes 24 hours if eyes are closed at death. Cornea

28. Potassium levels in vitreous humor + Clouding of the cornea Vitreous humor is the jelly like fluid found in the eye. Concentration of potassium increases slowly during first few days Vitreous humor

29. 5. Stomach Contents

30. Stages of Decomposition Initial decay Corpse appears normal, internal bacterial decay and autolysis begins Putrefaction Odor of decaying corpse swollen Black Putrefaction Very strong odor, flesh appears black, gases escape, corpse collapses Dry Decay Corpse is almost dry, further decay slows from lack of moisture

31. Stages of Decomposition 2 days Cells autolysis Greenish purple staining occurs, blood decomposing Skin takes on Marbled Appearance 4 days Skin blisters Abdomen swells with carbon dioxide Due to bacteria in intestines 6-10 days Corpse bloats with CO2 Corpse eventually bursts Fluid begins leaking from openings as cell membranes rupture Eyeballs liquefy Skin sloughs off

32. Objective: You will be able to explain how entomology can be used to determine the time of death. Do Now: Read “Forensic entomology” on p. 19 What factors affect the development of insects?

33. Forensic entomology Entomology is study of insects Used for a large variety of instances Insects and human remains Damage to property for a civil suit Insects and injuries in abuse cases

34. Uses Child abuse cases where parents use wasps to punish children Neglect and improper care of wounds of children and elderly Can explain some car accidents or plane crashes (obstructing fuel lines) Analysis of insects on outside of car may lead to where car has been

35. Uses Affect blood splatter when insects like roaches walk through it and make unusual marks May also carry blood spot to another part of room which confuses investigators Fleas and flies feed on blood and leave some behind in their wastes Insects can be used to help determine origin of material like marijuana because insects feed off of it Insects can be used to determine the time of death

36. Life cycles of insects is important to understand time of death Both follow complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult) Fly larva are called maggots Determining stages will help tell time of death

37. Complete Metamorphosis

38. Fly Larvae (maggots)

39. Fly Pupa

40. Adult fly emerging from pupa

41. Blowflies are usually the 1st invader Can lay eggs within 20 minutes of death

42. Blowfly The egg is laid in a day by 1 or 2 days a larvae hatches After feeding, larvae leaves body to form a pupa Pupa cases stay behind so presence and number important If adult has already emerged then case will look cut open on one end Used to determine maximum postmortem

43. Beetle larvae (Coleoptera)

44. Coleoptera Coleoptera will invade after most of liquid part is gone Beetle larvae different from fly because it has 3 pairs of legs and fly has none Dermestid beetles clean bones Much later in decay process, predaceous beetles will appear to feed on larvae

45. Predacious beetles

46. Entomological evidence can also help determine the circumstances of abuse and rape Victims that are incapacitated (bound, drugged, or otherwise helpless) often have associated fecal and urine soaked clothes or bed dressings. This will attract insects that would normally not appear

47. Movement of body Certain species will lay eggs inside environment, some outside Some species prefer sunlight or shaded environments

48. Other uses of Insects Can do DNA analysis on the blood that is in the bodies of these insects that they ate Can do toxicological analysis on insects because they may contain poisons in them from eating the person that had poison