Hasan A. Abder-Rahman

Killing tools in mechanical asphyxia

In homicidal deaths, many countries, including Jordan, used to differentiate between an intention to kill some person and whether or not this intention is preceded by premeditation or planning in advance. A retrospective review of 42 homicidal mechanical asphyxial deaths was carried out with special regard to the types of tools used and their impact on the intention and premeditation to kill. Two major causes of homicidal asphyxia-hand and ligature-accounted for 95% of the deaths (35.7% and 59.3%, respectively). Many of the victims of homicidal asphyxia were women (40.5%) and infants under the age of one year (26%). Most of the women were killed by their in-laws (24%). A sexual motive or unlawful sexual relationship outside the bonds of marriage was proven in 14 out of 17 adult female victims. This suggests how difficult it can be to support a criminal charge in cases of mechanical asphyxial deaths.

Alumnium phosphide fatalities at mild exertion in asymptomatic children: A clue to understand the variations of the autopsy findings

Fatalities resulted from aluminium phosphide (ALP) intoxication in completely healthy children with no preceded clinical sings or symptoms were presented. Data regarding circumstances, autopsy reports, histopathological examination, toxicological investigation, and police enquiries were also collected and evaluated. The affected children were females, and 6-16 years old. They were completely healthy and died suddenly in relation to some physical activities such as running, walking, and bathing, without any prior complain. The viscera showed intense congestion with moderate to severe pulmonary edema. The cause of the sudden termination of life in the reported cases is mostly cardiac ones. Physical exertion may precipitate death due to increased cardiac stress, increased oxygen demand, and by aggravating metabolic acidosis. The absence of clinical symptoms before death may be due to the low level ALP, or due to the occurrence of death in the early stages after exposure to poison. Death due to ALP could result in cases of mild, moderate, or severe ALP intoxication. This may explain partly the differences encountered in clinical, autopsy, and histopathology findings of ALP intoxication. Fatalities are not the mere consequences of the dose of the poison, but factors such as physical activity and low oxygen level may be quite important.

Engasgamento em bebês após busca às cegas com os dedos

Objective: In stressful situations, people usually use finger sweep to remove pharyngeal foreign bodies from the mouth. This article reports on three cases of death of infants following the use of this technique. Method: A total of 26 cases of choking caused by foreign bodies aspiration in the upper and lower respiratory passages involving children younger than 11 years of age autopsied at the Forensic Department of University of Jordan between 1996 and 2006 were reviewed. Results: Blind finger sweep to remove pharyngeal foreign bodies were reported in three crying infants. All of these cases were younger than 1 year of age and choked on a chickpea, a marble and a short pencil. Diversity, size, shape and smoothness of the surface are the main characteristics that render the foreign bodies less easily caught by fingers and make them easily enter the respiratory passage. Conclusion: These cases showed that blind finger sweep in crying infants is not only dangerous but can be a fatal maneuver.

Infants choking following blind finger sweep

OBJECTIVES In stressful situations, people usually use finger sweep to remove pharyngeal foreign bodies from the mouth. This article reports on three cases of death of infants following the use of this technique. METHODS A total of 26 cases of choking caused by foreign bodies aspiration in the upper and lower respiratory passages involving children younger than 11 years of age autopsied at the Forensic Department of University of Jordan between 1996 and 2006 were reviewed. RESULTS Blind finger sweep to remove pharyngeal foreign bodies were reported in three crying infants. All of these cases were younger than 1 year of age and choked on a chickpea, a marble and a short pencil. Diversity, size, shape and smoothness of the surface are the main characteristics that render the foreign bodies less easily caught by fingers and make them easily enter the respiratory passage. CONCLUSIONS These cases showed that blind finger sweep in crying infants is not only dangerous but can be a fatal maneuver.

Injuries sustained in falling fatalities in relation to different distances of falls

BACKGROUND Falling from a distance is an important issue worldwide, which happens in different ages, genders and circumstances. It is usually not considered a medicolegal case in many countries hence no autopsy is performed. This study focused on analyzing injuries sustained in victims of falling in relation to different distances of fall. METHODS Retrospective study of 352 autopsy reports of falling victims brought to the forensic pathology department at Jordan University Hospital during the period from January 1990 to March 2016. RESULTS Among 352 cases, 256 (72.7%) were males and 96 (27.3%) were females. 303 (86.1%) cases showed accidental fall, 31 (8.8%) were suicidal, 2 (0.6%) were homicidal and un-clarified death in 16 (4.5%). Time of death was directly proportionate with the distance of fall. Victims fell from distances less than 3 m were 123 (35%), most of them were children less than 7 years 50 (40.5%) and unemployed adults more than 45 years were 48 (39.1%). They showed multiple abrasions (62.6%), few contusions (64.2%) and absent laceration of the skin (84.5%). Victims fell from distances of 3-9 m were 123 (35%), most of them were male workers 56 (60.2%). They showed multiple abrasions (63.5%), few contusions (71%) and few lacerations of skin (50.5%). Victims fell from distances more than 9 m were 136 (38.6%), most of them were male workers 71 (52.2%) and female servants 23 (17%). They showed few abrasions (80.9%), multiple contusions (64.7%) and few lacerations of skin (48.5%). The number of fractured limbs increases obviously with distances more than 3 m. Skull vault fractures were found in all distances, while skull base fractures showed in distances of 3-9 m and more than 9 m. Head injury was the most common fatal injury in all distances. Chest injuries were prominent mainly in distances more than 3 m. While abdominal injuries were mainly prominent in distances more than 9 m. CONCLUSIONS This study showed the effect of different distances of fall in causing different types of injuries in falling fatalities. Internal injuries were in a direct proportion with distances of fall, while external injuries showed a great importance in interpretation of the way of fall.