Citation

Santoro P, La Russa R, Besi L, Voloninno G, Dell'aquila M, De Matties A, Maiese A. Med. Leg. J. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

IRCSS Neuromed Mediterranean Neurological Institute, Pozzilli, Italy.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Medico-Legal Society, Publisher SAGE Publications)

DOI

10.1177/0025817219861277

PMID

31564205

Abstract

Death from plastic bag suffocation is unusual and rare in under-developed countries. Initially, deaths were accidental mostly of children but with time homicides, suicides and deaths in auto-erotic situations were noted. It is not always possible to discover the dynamics leading to the death especially when suicide is suspected. Often, the typical signs of asphyxia - petechial haemorrhages, facial congestion, oedema and cyanosis - are not there. The authors present two cases of plastic bag suffocation, where a multi-disciplinary approach was applied. This study reviews international literature on plastic bag suffocation, analysing the frequency of suicides, homicides and accidental deaths associated with plastic suffocation.

Language: en

Keywords

HIF-1 alpha; Plastic bag suffocation; SP-A; asphyxia; crime scene investigation