International Journal of Forensic Medicine

Author(s): Oumar Ouattara, Alioun Traoré, Gisèle Marie Ursule Tapsoba and Adama Jean Honoré Konaté

Abstract: Hanging is mainly observed in suicidal contexts. It can be complete, when the body is completely suspended in mid-air, or incomplete, when all or part of the body remains in contact with the ground or a support. We report here a case of a male body, around 30 years old, discovered in a rural area, hanging from a tree branch by a rope, during a period of intense summer heat. The body was found in an incomplete hanging position, and was transported to the mortuary for the forensic examination. This examination of the body found marked signs of putrefaction. The examination noted the presence of an oblique, incomplete cervical furrow, deeper on the left side, fading towards the right side of the neck. In the absence of technical facilities for performing an autopsy, a postmortem computed tomography scan ruled out traumatic bone injuries such as fractures of the hyoid bone, thyroid cartilage or cervical spine, which are frequently associated with complete hangings involving a sudden fall. The only abnormality found was the cricoid cartilage deviation to the right, which could correspond to postmortem deformation or asymmetrical compression of the larynx during suspension. This isolated sign, although non-specific, is consistent with strangulation by hanging. This case illustrates the value of postmortem computed tomography in a context of an incomplete hanging occurred in hot weather and associated with advanced putrefaction, complicating the analysis of the classic external and internal signs of strangulation, and where a forensic autopsy is not feasible.

DOI: 10.33545/27074447.2025.v7.i2b.113

Pages: 131-133 | Views: 92 | Downloads: 40

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