Citation

Pelletti G, Tambuscio S, Montisci M, Snenghi R. J. Pediatr. Adolesc. Gynecol. 2015; 29(2): e29-31.

Affiliation

Institute of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, University-Hospital of Padova.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jpag.2015.10.012

PMID

26485321

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The interpretation of anogenital post-mortem findings is an issue of main concern, since the nature and appearance of anogenital tissues during the post-mortem interval is not widely known by health providers. CASE: An 8-year-old female died in hospital 48 hours after hospitalization. On the basis of the atypical anogenital findings, the healthcare professionals notified the fact to the Public Prosecutor as an alleged child abuse. The forensic pathologist ruled out this possibility, interpreting the anal findings due to physiological post-mortem anal alterations and to the insertion of suppositories before death. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS: Forensic pathological analysis should be included in routine post-mortem evaluation in the case of suspicion of child sexual abuse, since normal post-mortem findings could be misinterpreted by physicians, whose sole experience is based on ante-mortem scenarios.

Language: en