Abstract:This article presents the results of a study undertaken to evaluate how parents experience voluntary Death Scene Investigation (DSI) in their homes. In total, 35 parents were interviewed using semi-structured qualitative interview guidelines developed for this project. These focused on the parents': 1) appraisal of information provided prior to the DSI and motivation for participating in the study, 2) experience of, and reactions to the DSI, and 3) thoughts and reactions following the DSI. The evaluation shows that performing a DSI is an important part of providing good care for bereaved parents following Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. If such an investigation is undertaken by professionals with extensive professional knowledge and experience in meeting bereaved parents in an empathic and caring manner, it can be a positive experience for parents, and help support them in coping with the painful death of their infant.
Keywords:Death scene investigation, autopsy, parents' experience The Institute of Forensic Medicine (IFM) at the University of Oslo argued for several years that omitting the DSI after SIDS would prevent vital information coming to light [1,2]. Finally, IFM was granted the permission to conduct DSI's on condition that it was followed by an evaluation [12]. As a context for the evaluation study we will explain the content of the DSI:
FORENSIC SCIENCEThe DSI was undertaken one or two days following the sudden death of a child (and after the autopsy had taken place) by three different pathologists and a tactical investigator (project director) on leave from the NationalCriminal Investigation Service in Norway (Kripos). The following routine was observed: 1) After confirmation of the death of the child, information about the DSI as well as an invitation to participate in an evaluation of the project was provided by the local doctor at the receiving hospital. A mandatory autopsy of the child was then conducted, and the DSI was conducted for parents who had consented to it.2) The DSI consisted of the communication of preliminary results from the autopsy and a thorough interview with the parents about the events surrounding the death of their infant. In the interview, the condition of the infant prior to the death was established, and risk factors for SIDS were mapped. 3) In addition, a detailed and practical reconstruction of how the infant was placed in the bed and how he/she was found was undertaken and videotaped. For the reconstruction, a specially designed doll was used, which came in two sizes, one small, and one big, similar in weight and size to a real infant. The DSI team also devoted time to answering questions from the parents. For a more detailed description of the DSI, see Rognum et al. [12].