Citation

King DEL. J. Can. Soc. Forensic Sci. 1996; 29(4): 213-220.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1996, Canadian Society of Forensic Science, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/00085030.1996.10757064

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The majority of lightning deaths are either unwitnessed or occur in circumstances that are either confusing or the surroundings are such that it may be difficult to reconstruct the actual events as they occurred. The purpose of this case report is to describe a fatality that was witnessed by a number of people and occurred on a baseball field away from any trees or high structures making it possible to correlate the post mortem findings with witness statements describing the actual strike. The nature of lightning is briefly described and the effects of a strike on the human body are discussed.