Missed Diagnosis of an Infant With a Skull Fracture

Smitherman, Lynn C.

doi:10.1177/0009922810379503

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

References 6 publications

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“…Deaths from sharp and blunt force trauma are common in homicide cases [1][2][3][4][5], particularly in countries where civilian use of firearms is strictly regulated. In England and Wales for instance, 2011-12 homicide data shows that out of 550 homicides, 200 resulted from sharp instruments and more than 100 from blunt trauma [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sharp and blunt force trauma concealment by thermal alteration in homicides: An in-vitro experiment for methodology and protocol development in forensic anthropological analysis of burnt bones

Macoveciuc

Márquez‐Grant

Horsfall

et al. 2017

Forensic Science International

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Burning of human remains is one method used by perpetrators to conceal fatal trauma and expert opinions regarding the degree of skeletal evidence concealment are often disparate. This experiment aimed to reduce this incongruence in forensic anthropological interpretation of burned human remains and implicitly contribute to the development of research methodologies sufficiently robust to withstand forensic scrutiny in the courtroom. We have tested the influence of thermal alteration on pre-existing sharp and blunt trauma on twenty juvenile sheep radii in the laboratory using an automated impact testing system and an electric furnace. The testing conditions simulated a worst-case scenario where remains with pre-existing sharp or blunt trauma were exposed to burning with an intentional vehicular fire scenario in mind. All impact parameters as well as the burning conditions were based on those most commonly encountered in forensic cases and maintained constant throughout the experiment. The results have shown that signatures associated with sharp and blunt force trauma were not masked by heat exposure and highlights the potential for future standardization of fracture analysis in burned bone. Our results further emphasize the recommendation given by other experts on handling, processing and recording burned remains at the crime scene and mortuary.

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