An autopsy case of suicidal strangulation with four looped rubber bands

A rare case of suicidal strangulation with four looped rubber bands is reported. A 57-year-old female was found dead in the vestibule of her house, with four looped rubber bands wrapped around her neck. Her face was markedly congestive, and lots of petechial hemorrhages were seen on the face and in the palpebral conjunctive. At the medico-legal autopsy, the ligature mark was 1.7 cm in maximum width at the anterior part of the neck and accompanied by such vital reactions as linear hemorrhage, but there were no other injuries to account for her death. Many petechial hemorrhages were also found in the visceral pleurae and epicardium. There was hemocoagulum in the cardiac blood, and the other organs were as well markedly congestive. Gas-chromatographic analysis revealed ethanol; 0.83 mg/ml in the heart blood and 1.37 mg/ml in the urine. No other drugs or poisons were found with Toxi-Lab and REMEDi-HS systems. In addition, police investigation denied the possibility of homicide and disclosed her living will stating that she had suffered from a chronic heart disease. This case was of suicidal strangulation with looped rubber bands.