Incomplete decapitation in suicidal vehicle-assisted ligature strangulation: A case report and a review of the literature.

Vehicle-assisted ligature strangulation is an extremely rare suicide method. We report a case of a 43-year-old man who secured one end of a nylon rope to a tree and the other end around his neck, then got inside his vehicle and stepped on the gas, leading to an incomplete decapitation. A sharply demarcated encircling ligature mark was found upon external examination, along with a deep laceration in the anterior region of the neck. The severance plane passed between the third and fourth cervical vertebrae, with diffuse haemorrhagic infiltration of the cervical muscles, in accordance with autopsy findings reported in the literature. The lung histological examination described a large amount of red blood cells and pulmonary oedema. A review of the literature concerning suicidal vehicle-assisted ligature strangulation cases allowed us to investigate some common autopsy findings, as well as the rope features relevant to the beheading.

Sub-decapitation in suicidal chainsaw injury: report of a rare case and operative management.

Chainsaw accidents are severe injuries, mostly work-related and concerning upper or lower extremities. Few suicidal chainsaw injuries are reported, all of them fatal. We report the case of a 23-year-old man who attempted suicide by sub-decapitation with a chainsaw, its successful (peri-) operative management, and clinical course along with a discussion of the contemporary management and body of evidence of such lesions. Chainsaw injuries are severe traumas. Stepwise surgery with maximal functional reconstruction is safe and optimal clinical outcome can be achieved.

Suicidal hanging resulting in decapitation: A case report and review of the literature.

Decapitation following suicidal hanging is rarely encountered in forensic practice. The authors report a case of suicidal hanging resulting in decapitation following a fall of 5m. This case is compared with 30 cases found in the literature. Several factors including type of rope, skin abrasion, level of the severed vertebrae, thyroid cartilage and hyoid bone injuries and vital signs are studied. The force applied to the neck and the kinetic energy were calculated. The kinetic energy (ranging from 1820 to 7310J) takes into account the weight of the victim but also the length of the rope (height of the fall). The speed of the body as it is stopped by the rope ranged between 6.49 and 14.01ms-1.

Intrauterine fetal decapitation after a high-speed car crash.

Motor vehicle collisions are an important cause of blunt abdominal trauma in pregnant woman. Among the possible outcomes of blunt abdominal trauma, placental abruption, direct fetal trauma, and rupture of the gravid uterus are described. An interesting case of complete fetal decapitation with uterine rupture due to a high-velocity motor vehicle collision is described. The external examination of the fetus showed a disconnection between the cervical vertebrae C3 and C4. The autopsy examination showed hematic infiltration of the epicranic soft tissues, an overlap of the parietal bones, and a subarachnoid hemorrhage in the posterior part of interparietal area. Histological analysis was carried out showing a lack of epithelium and hemorrhages in the subcutaneous tissue, a hematic infiltration between the muscular fibers of the neck and between the collagen and deep muscular fibers of the tracheal wall. Specimens collected from the placenta and from the uterus showed a hematic infiltration with hypotrophy of the placental villi, fibrosis of the mesenchymal villi with ischemic phenomena of the membrane. The convergence of circumstantial data, autopsy results, and histological data led us to conclude that the neck lesion was vital and the cause of death was attributed to the motor vehicle collision.

Outdoor post-mortem depredation by local fauna.

We present the case of complete post-mortem decapitation of a 43 years old man killed by gunshots discharged from a distance of 40 - 50 cm. The corpse was left in the courtyard of his isolated carpentry and a mongrel dog lived in that courtyard, maybe attracted by the blood gushed from the wound, got a depredation of the corpse till the complete decapitation and the removal of all intrathoracic organs. The action of the dog was completed by the rats and mice that lived in the place. The case is not rare and sometimes the alteration of the features of the corpse makes it impossible for the investigators, to objectify any other signs of criminal nature.

Electroencephalographic evaluation of decapitation of the anaesthetized rat.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in electroencephalographic (EEG) power spectrum in response to decapitation of anaesthetized rats, in order to assess the nociception or otherwise of this procedure. Ten young adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were anaesthetized with halothane in oxygen and anaesthesia was maintained at a stable concentration of halothane between 1.20% and 1.25%. The rat's head and neck were placed through the opening of a small animal guillotine so that the blade of the guillotine was positioned over the atlanto-occipial joint of the rat's neck. The EEG was recorded in a five-electrode montage, bilaterally. After recording a 15 min baseline the rat was decapitated by swiftly pressing the guillotine blade and the EEG recording was continued until the signal was isoelectric on both channels. Changes in the median frequency (F50), 95% spectral edge frequency (F95) and total power of the EEG (Ptot) were used to investigate the effects of decapitation. During the first 15 s following decapitation, there were significant increases in the F50 and F95, and a decrease in the Ptot compared with baseline values. There was a clear window of time immediately following decapitation where changes in the EEG frequency spectrum were obvious; these changes in the EEG indices of nociception could be attributed as responses generated by the rat's cerebral cortex following decapitation.

Different mechanisms of decapitation: three classic and one unique case history.

Three classic cases and one exceptional case are reported. The unique case of decapitation took place in a traffic accident, while the others were seen after homicide, vehicle-assisted suicide, and after long-jump hanging. Thorough scene examinations were performed, and photographs from the scene were available in all cases. Through the autopsy of each case, the mechanism for the decapitation in each case was revealed. The severance lines were through the neck and the cervical vertebral column, except for in the motor vehicle accident case, where the base of skull was fractured. This case was also unusual as the mechanism was blunt force. In the homicide case, the mechanism was the use of a knife combined with a saw, while in the two last cases, a ligature made the cut through the neck. The different mechanisms in these decapitations are suggested.

Vehicle-assisted decapitation: a case report.

A rare case of vehicle-assisted suicide in a 40-year-old man is presented. The victim had tied a rope between his neck and a tree and then attempted to drive the vehicle away while seated in the driver's seat.The acceleration of the vehicle resulted in complete decapitation. Injuries to the organs of the man's neck bore vital signs. This, together with blood aspiration into his airways, confirmed that the victim's injuries took place when vital functions of his organism were still preserved. The degree of cervical trauma found in this case was far greater than that in characteristic ligature strangulation or hanging, except in cases where the body has fallen some distance.

Motor vehicle-assisted ligature strangulation causing complete decapitation: an autopsy report.

The victim, a 63-year-old prosperous businessman from Labasa, of the Northern Island (Vanua Levu) of Fiji Islands, was found completely decapitated in the early hours of morning in 2004. Initial police investigation did not reveal any history of any medical or family calamity. Further inquiry by the police revealed that on the previous day the deceased had visited all his friends and relatives, and his behavior was not out of the ordinary. The police suspected it to be a case of homicide. On visit to the scene, a completely decapitated body was found in a van on a downhill road. Tire marks were found on the road. A nylon rope was used for ligature strangulation. At autopsy, the decapitation wound of the head and the torso articulated well. The face was congested, and there was tongue bite. Wound margins were clear-cut, with well-demarcated abrasion and multiple imprints of the nylon rope on the neck. The upper one third of the larynx was attached to the head. No other injuries were found on the body. From the findings, it was obvious that asphyxiation was involved in the death before decapitation.

Accidental decapitation: a case report.

We report a case of an accidental decapitation of an agriculture worker in a field. The scene investigation revealed that the worker had loosely tied a scarf tied over his face in an attempt to diminish his exposure to barley dust, to which he was allergic, while distributing the barley loads with a shovel upon a trailer. The trailer was simultaneously being loaded by a helix elevator machine and its rotating shaft suddenly caught the victim's scarf and pulled it down to the victim's neck. The rotating motion immediately tightened the scarf around the neck resulting in hanging/strangulation noose that, by continued tightening, caused decapitation of the victim. The victim's body was found on the ground by the trailer and the victim's head was discovered in the barley load in the trailer. Examination revealed that the neck was severed at the level of the second and third cervical vertebrae.

Complete decapitation of a motorcycle driver due to a roadblock chain.

An 18-year-old male driving an off-road motorcycle died from complete decapitation when his motorcycle tore a roadblock chain from its attachment. The decapitation injuries of the head and the torso corresponded perfectly, without apparent loss of tissue. The severance plane passed horizontally through the upper cervical region and C4, which sustained a comminuted fracture. The sharply delineated severance edge had a band-like abrasion. The decapitation resulted from the rotational movement of the unstrung chain, which struck and strangled the driver's neck. We were able to explain the movement of the chain and the decapitation mechanism. This case emphasizes the importance of discussing dynamics with experts to clarify a causal mechanism.

Suicidal hanging resulting in complete decapitation--forensic, radiological, and anthropological studies: a case report.

The authors report a case of complete posthanging decapitation. The decapitated corpse lay against a pillar of a road bridge. The head had rolled 5 m from the trunk. The bridge was 7.2 m above the road level. The rope was 3.6 m long, its lower end was 3.6 m from the ground and its diameter was 10 mm. The noose used was a slip knot. Plain X-rays of the skull and cervical spine were obtained. The skull X-rays showed air in the meningeal spaces, in both lateral and third ventricles. The severance plane of the cervical spine was between the third and the fourth cervical vertebrae. No other cervical vertebral injuries were noted. At autopsy, the brain was macroscopically unremarkable except for air in the meningeal veins. The decapitation injuries of the head and the torso corresponded perfectly, without apparent loss of substance. The severance plane was confirmed. Dry bone study was carried out. Except for fractures of the extremities of the spinous processes of the second and third cervical vertebrae, no other bone injury of the spine was seen. The cervical vertebrae displayed numerous osteoarthritic lesions. The traditional hangman's fracture was not found. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of complete posthanging decapitation with a severance plane between the third and fourth cervical vertebrae.

Extensive and mutilating craniofacial trauma involving defleshing and decapitation: unusual features of fatal dog attacks in the young.

Four cases of fatal dog attacks are reported in 3 children aged 6, 10, and 11 years and in an infant aged 3 weeks. The cases were all characterized by extensive and mutilative stripping of soft tissues from the face and scalp, progressing to decapitation in the infant. The attacks were highly focused, involving 2 dogs in all but 1 case, with the area of trauma localized to the craniofacial region. The injuries resembled those found after postmortem animal depredation. The involvement of more than 1 dog may account for the severity of the injuries due to "pack" behavior. Deaths were due to exsanguination, air embolism, and decapitation. Necropsy examination of the attacking dogs revealed tissues from the victims in 2 of the animals' stomachs. These cases demonstrate the vulnerability of infants and young children to fatal dog attacks, with an unusual concentration of severe injuries to the head regions. Necropsy of the canine assailant, with collaboration between pathologists and veterinarians, is an important part of such investigations as it may provide information helping to establish the identity and ownership of the animal, along with trace evidence confirming that the dog was involved in the attack.

Suicidal decapitation using a tractor loader: a case report and review of the literature.

In forensic practice, decapitated bodies are predominantly associated with decapitation by wheels of trains or with postmortem dismemberment following homicide. In the suicidal context, decapitation accounts for less than 1% of total suicide. Apart from decapitation by trains, other encountered methods involve suicidal hanging and vehicle-assisted ligature suicide. Reported here is a unique case of suicidal decapitation in a 45-year-old man using a tractor loader at the foot of a silo, on his farm. The head was recovered in the loader and there were several impact spots from the loader as well as blood on the silo wall. The autopsy revealed a complete decapitation wound with the severance plane located between the third and fourth cervical vertebra. A 1.5 cm wide abrasion on the anterior part of the neck and abrasions under the chin were noted. This very unique case of intentional suicidal decapitation is the first reported case of a planned system intended to create decapitation outside the unique case of homemade guillotine and the more common decapitation by train.

Neck injuries caused by automatic two-point seat belts: an analysis of four cases.

Although seat belts significantly reduce the extent and severity of injuries sustained by motor vehicle occupants, seat belts are known to be associated with chest and abdominal trauma. Less commonly understood are severe neck injuries caused by the use of two-point automatic shoulder harnesses without concurrent use of a manual lap belt. Such injuries may include cervical spine fractures, craniocervical dislocations and rarely decapitation. Recognizing patterned injuries caused by seat belts and the ability to correlate autopsy findings with the circumstances surrounding the death will allow for correct interpretation of seat-belt related trauma. The four cases described detail fatal neck injuries as a result of improper seat belt use in which an automatic two-point shoulder harness was used without a manual lap restraint. In two of the cases, the victims were decapitated.