Characteristic Features of Deaths Due to Decapitation

Abstract

Deaths due to decapitation are rare in civilian populations. A study in South Australia over 17 years from January 1986 to December 2002 revealed 20 cases (age range, 14 to 72 years; average, 30.7 years; male to female ratio, 15:5). There were 13 suicides consisting of 11 train-related deaths (age range, 14 to 72 years; average, 31.3 years; male to female ratio, 10:1), 1 hanging death, and 1 death using a ligature and a motor vehicle. Five cases related to motor vehicle crashes (age range, 19 to 46 years; average, 30.2 years; male to female ratio, 1:4) and 2 were associated with industrial trauma. Suicidal decapitation accounted for <1% of total suicides and showed a striking male predominance, with the favored method involving trains.

Complete decapitation of a motorcycle driver due to a roadblock chain

“…According to previous reports, most complete decapitations result from suicide, such as train-pedestrian fatalities and hanging deaths, while traffic accidents account for most accidental decapitations [5]. Saukko and Knight [1] described a mode of decapitation that occurs in extreme tailgating accidents in which a motorcyclist drives into the back of a truck; the motorcycle passes underneath the truck, but the head of the motorcyclist strikes the tailgate.…”

Post-mortem decapitation by domestic dogs: three case reports and review of the literature

“…Though known to occur in suicidal hangings [41], decapitation is an extremely unusual injury in dog bite cases and has rarely been described [3]. Facial soft tissue defects due to post-mortem animal activity are not uncommon and notably cause identification problems [42].…”

Estimation of stature from cephalo-facial anthropometry in north Indian population

“…Determination of sex and race from cephalic region, various methods of reconstructing the face appearance in an individual from the bones of the skull, new facial soft tissue depth data, ultrasound, computerized tomography-scans, 3D reconstruction computer programs are in full development throughout the world [40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52]. In many cases, brought for medicolegal and forensic examinations, where only the cephalo-facial region is available [53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68], it becomes difficult for the forensic scientist to identify the deceased in the absence of any detailed and Forensic Science International 181 (2008) 52.e1-52.e6 in depth study on this region. Sometimes, the forensic scientist cannot apply the techniques of facial reconstruction may be due to lack of expertise, standardized data and equipment.…”