Citation

Murayama M, Takahashi Y, Sano R, Watanabe K, Takahashi K, Kubo R, Kuninaka H, Kominato Y. Leg. Med. (Elsevier) 2015; 17(6): 576-578.

Affiliation

Department of Legal Medicine, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi 371-8511, Japan.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Japanese Society of Legal Medicine, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.legalmed.2015.07.005

PMID

26190699

Abstract

We reviewed five autopsy cases of suspected bathtub suicide. The immediate cause of death in all cases was determined to be drowning on the basis of macropathological findings such as frothy fluid in the airways or overinflation of the lungs as well as histological findings obtained at autopsy. We suspected that the manner of death in those cases was suicide based on comprehensive postmortem investigations of statements from witnesses, the presence of a farewell letter, the fact that clothes had been worn, additional means to ensure suicide, and results of drug tests, as well as autopsy findings. Cases of bathtub suicide should be investigated carefully to distinguish them from accidental or natural death.

Language: en