Autopsy Findings in Cases of Suspected Pediatric Homicide

Abstract

Paediatric deaths in developing countries, especially in Africa, are often attributed to supernatural causes or to aged family members or unfriendly neighbors. This study aims to evaluate autopsybased causes of death in such cases. All autopsy deaths in children less than 15 years of age in which homicide was suspected from January 2001 to December 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Their bio-data, circumstances surrounding death and cause of death were extracted, and presented in this report. In the 15 years reviewed, there were 55 pediatric homicide related cases. Based on autopsy findings (coupled with clinical and circumstantial evidences), manners of death were classified as natural (34%), accidental (31%), homicidal (9%) and unascertainable in the remaining 26% of the cases. The study highlights the need for forensic pathologists working in developing countries to be actively involved in all stages of investigating cases of suspected pediatric homicide.

Keywords

• forensic sciences
• forensic pathology
• pediatric
• homicide
• infanticide
• autopsy