Citation

Thierauf A, Lutz-Bonengel S, Sänger T, Vogt S, Rupp W, Perdekamp MG. Forensic Sci. Int. 2012; 214(1-3): e47-50.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.forsciint.2011.08.014

PMID

21908113

Abstract

Apart from collisions with road or rail vehicles and falls from height, self inflicted blunt force is a rare suicide method and mainly seen in psychiatric patients. The paper presents a rare case of suicide by active blunt force. A 68-year-old man committed suicide by repeatedly hitting his head with a stone. He sustained a craniocerebral trauma and finally died from hypothermia due to the low outdoor temperature. According to the relatives, the man was not diagnosed with a mental disorder or suicidal tendencies. Uncommon manners of self-harm are challenging for those involved in the investigation, and a differentiation between suicide, accident and homicide can only be made in synopsis of all findings.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Aged; Male; Suicide; Hypothermia; Forensic Pathology; Cold Temperature; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Chromatography, Liquid; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Skull Fractures; Illicit Drugs; Hematoma, Epidural, Cranial; Head Injuries, Closed