Forensic Science Unit 4
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Death
Cessation of death (in 17th century) Anyone who has a faint heartbeat or in a coma
Natural Death
Interruption of natural body functions resulting from age or disease
Homocide
Death of one person caused by another
Ways a person can die
-Natural -Accidental -Homicidal -Suicidal
Cause of Death
The reason for death
Example of a cause of death
Heart attack, disease, physical injury
Mechanism of death
The specific change in the state of the body that brought about death
Example of a mechanism of death
Blood loss
Proximate cause of death
Underlying cause of death (radiation exposure)
Livor Mortis
-Lividity begins 2 hours after death -Discoloration becomes permanent after 8 hours - Between 2-8 hours if redden areas are pressed, color will disappear - After 8 hours lividity is fixed and permanent -
Lividity
With decomposition, blood seeps down and settles in the lower parts of the body
What influences rate of lividity
Temperature
Dual Lividity
Lividity in two different areas which indicates that the body was moved
Rigor Mortis
-Without oxygen in the blood, muscles stiffen -Starts two hours after death -Begins in head and gradually works down to legs
When is the body in its most rigid stage?
After 12 hours
What happens after 12 hours of rigor mortis?
-After 15 hours, muscle fibers dissolve and softening begins -Stiffness disappears after 36 hours
How does body weight and temperature affect rigor?
It can cause it to last for up to 48 hours
What are the factors that affect rigor mortis? (Faster as in decomposes faster or slower as in decomposes slower)
-Temperature (cooler is slow, warmer is fast) -Weight of body heavier is fast lighter is slow -Clothes is faster, none is slower -Fever is faster - Exercise right before death is faster -Direct sun is faster
Where is a corpse temperature taken?
The liver
What happens to eyes after death
The liquefy and rot but first turn cloudy
Algor Mortis
Time of death determined by temperature calculations which is relayed in a range of time
Where is food depending on time of death?
0-2 hours food in stomach 4-6 food in small intestine 12+ waste in large intestine
Livor Mortis Color
0-2 hours no color or change 2-8 hours lividity- blanches 8+ hours lividity is fixed and permanent
Stages of Decay
• Fresh/ Initial • Bloating/Putrefaction • Active Decay • Advanced Decay • Dry Decay