Autoerotic Death by Electrocution

Abstract

Autoerotic death is defined as an accidental death that occurs when some type of apparatus is used to enhance sexual stimulation and causes an unintended death. We present the case of an atypical autoerotic death of a 23-year-old man found deceased in a bathroom. An electrical cord with a standard wall plug on one end and exposed wires twisted into loops on the other end was on the floor near his body. Minute black burns were present on each nipple. The outlet was protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter that was demonstrated to be in working order. An electrical consultant concluded that the cause of death could not be electrocution. Ground fault circuit interrupters work by detecting differences in current within a circuit. If a ground fault occurs, the circuit is broken to prevent a fatal electrocution. In the present case, the ground fault circuit interrupter did not shut off because the decedent had wired himself in parallel with the circuit. This, with the other scene findings, indicated this to be a case of atypical autoerotic death. Autoerotic deaths by means other than asphyxiation are rare. This case serves to illustrate the circumstances of an atypical autoerotic death by means of electrocution.

Deaths during Sexual Activity

“…Autoerotic deaths are further classified into typical and atypical cases [3]. Typical cases involve asphyxia and constitute the highest number of deaths [3]. Asphyxia can result from covering the face with objects such as plastic bags, rubber masks, or adhesive tape, hanging, suffocation, chemical substance inhalation (chloroform, cocaine, alkyl nitrites, MDMA, alcohol, toluene, α-PVP, buprenorphine, mephedrone), or respiratory tract obstruction by fluids [2][3][4][5][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15].…”

“…Typical cases involve asphyxia and constitute the highest number of deaths [3]. Asphyxia can result from covering the face with objects such as plastic bags, rubber masks, or adhesive tape, hanging, suffocation, chemical substance inhalation (chloroform, cocaine, alkyl nitrites, MDMA, alcohol, toluene, α-PVP, buprenorphine, mephedrone), or respiratory tract obstruction by fluids [2][3][4][5][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. Atypical autoerotic deaths encompass other scenarios, including electrocution, hyperthermia from wearing extra clothing, and traumatic deaths due to foreign bodies inserted in body orifices, which comprise a smaller portion of autoerotic deaths [3,5,7,12,13,15].…”

“…Autoerotic death refers to an accidental incident where an individual dies while using certain tools to enhance sexual sensations. Autoerotic deaths are further classified into typical and atypical cases [ 3 ]. Typical cases involve asphyxia and constitute the highest number of deaths [ 3 ].…”

Esophageal rupture through extreme sadomasochistic practice

“…Subsequently, a forensic medical examination may be necessary to obtain objective findings that allow reconstructive statements or serve to objectify statements about courses of events and actions. Such examinations occasionally occur in the everyday medicolegal work and include, for example, autoerotic accidents with a lethal outcome [ 1 – 3 ], clinical forensic medical examinations after a reported rape [ 4 , 5 ], or the insertion of objects in body orifices [ 1 , 6 – 9 ]. The medicolegal assessment of physical injuries specifically due to sadomasochistic practices is very rare.…”