Self-infliction of faked gunshot wounds in absence of overt psychopathology.

Distinguishing deliberate self-inflicted body damage from assault represents a challenge to the forensic expert. Identifying a wound as self-inflicted can be particularly difficult in emergency room situations. We present the case of an individual who self-inflicted three bullet wounds, allegedly related to a shooting incident. This individual was lacking any overt psychopathology. When confronted with the facts, he confessed and explained his motivation. It is known that self-mutilation behavior can be related to particular, well systematized psychiatric disorders. However, in the absence of such a diagnosis, every suspicious wound should be carefully considered by the forensic expert as potentially self-inflicted with the intent by the "victim" of obtaining secondary gains.

Overzealous cardiac massage leading to unintentional infant death.

The case of an 18-month child is presented, with a picture demonstrating the thoracic trauma, caused from a hand pressure movement, perpetrated with an open right palm, in an attempt to perform an external cardiac massage. The child showed continuous episodes of 'crying spells' that the medical staff considered as benign, but an overprotective and mentally unstable mother kept on violently 'resuscitating' her son during such episodes. The last episode was characterised with a strenuous massage of the thoracic wall, causing evident bruises and leading to a cardiac contusion. The mother who perpetrated the trauma was sentenced for manslaughter, after the accidental character of the event, as well as the severity of her family situation and the precarious living environment of a socially abandoned single-acting parent, were all taken into account. The particular psychopathology of the care giver (mother) and the characteristics of the inflicted thoracic blow are described.