Electrocution - post-mortem presentations, problems and pitfalls

Area of Science:

• Forensic Pathology
• Electrical Engineering
• Toxicology

Background:

• Electrocution deaths occur due to electric current passage through the human body.
• Lethal mechanisms include cardiac arrhythmias like ventricular fibrillation and respiratory arrest due to paralysis of respiratory muscles or the brainstem.
• The severity of electrocution is influenced by the circuit's potential difference and the body's electrical resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize the mechanisms of death from electrocution.
• To highlight the factors influencing current flow through the body.
• To discuss challenges in forensic evaluation of electrocution cases.

Main Methods:

• Review of established medical and forensic literature on electrocution.
• Analysis of physiological responses to electrical currents.
• Discussion of case study challenges in forensic investigations.

Main Results:

• Electrocution fatalities are predominantly accidental, with suicides being less frequent and homicides rare.
• Key determinants of current flow are voltage and tissue resistance.
• Diagnostic challenges arise when scene evidence of electrocution is present but autopsy reveals no injuries, or vice versa.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the physics of electrical injury and human physiology is crucial for electrocution case evaluation.
• Discrepancies between scene and autopsy findings necessitate thorough investigation and expert analysis.
• Accurate determination of cause and manner of death in electrocution cases requires interdisciplinary collaboration.