Investigation of deaths requires a strong medical background. It starts with a physical inspection of the body and the gathering of evidence at the crime scene, and then moves on to a history, physical examination, laboratory testing, and diagnosis—in other words, the main components of a doctor's treatment of a live patient. The main objective is to give the criminal justice system unbiased proof of the cause, timing, and manner of death for decision-making. While determining the reason and method of a death is the major purpose of a death investigation, benefiting the living and future generations is also a goal of death inquiry that has been practiced for ages in all countries.
Before the body is taken away, the medicolegal expert should visit the scene of the death in situations of homicide, suspicion of homicide, and other suspicious or enigmatic deaths. While local practices vary, any medical professional who calls himself a "forensic medicine expert" should always be willing to go with the police to the scene of the death. The scene investigation is frequently more significant than the autopsy. Prior to an autopsy, a thorough and exhaustive inquiry frequently results in the accurate determination of the cause and manner of death.
There are various reasons why the medicolegal expert should be present at the death site. The forensic medicine specialist is better able to interpret some results at the autopsy by looking at the body in the context of its surroundings, such as a patterned imprint across the neck after collapsing onto an open vegetable drawer in a refrigerator. The forensic medicine expert can also provide advice to the investigating agency regarding the cause of death, including whether to confirm a homicide by a particular method, determine whether the circumstances support an apparent natural death, or determine whether blood loss from a deceased person was more likely caused by disease than by trauma.
A disciplined and systematic approach to capturing the numerous observations is necessary for a complete investigation of a death scene. If there are enough resources and the circumstances surrounding the death require it, it is best for a forensic medical expert to conduct the scene investigation. Every scene of a death is a potential crime. It is crucial to thoroughly inspect the scene for any signs or peculiar circumstances that would suggest the person's death wasn't caused by natural causes.
Different Steps Taken at the Crime Scene
The following types of incidents and examinations may be combined in a death scene investigation:
- Accidental deaths, which can result from a variety of reasons, such as misadventure.
- Suicidal deaths, which can occur under a variety of conditions.
- Homicidal fatalities, which can occur under a variety of conditions.
- Unexpected deaths, whether or not they are connected to a mystery.
- Identification of victims who are difficult to locate due to putrefaction and mummification.
- Dealing with many casualties while identifying disaster victims.
Tools and Equipment for Investigation Are Needed at Crime Scenes
The forensic medical specialist should always have the necessary tools on hand and prepared to quickly travel to a scene investigation. They are
- Rubber gloves and a water-resistant apron.
- Pens, pencils, and marking utensils.
- Disposable (paper) jumpsuits, face shields, and hair accessories.
- A thermometer, sterile swabs, and syringes and needles.
- Dissection tools for autopsies, including a handsaw.
- Closing the body with string and cutting needles.
- Swabs as well as receptacles for bodily fluids and blood.
- Jars of formalin for histology sample storage.
- A spare pen and pencil, paper, and plastic bags.
- Physical injury logs that are printed out.
- Miniature tape recorder, electric torch, and hand lens.
- Weather-appropriate clothing (raincoat, umbrella, etc).
- Personal comfort items (hats, sunscreen, insect repellent, etc.).
- A camera, typically a 35 mm single-lens reflex with an electronic flash (and an additional battery).
- Clothes like rain or snow gear and rubber boots.
Investigation Procedures for Death Scenes
At any death scene, the deceased is the most precious piece of possible evidence. Blood spatter or spilling should be noticed because it will linger after the body has been removed. The physical state of a body at a scene should be the primary concern of a forensic medical expert. Without a scene investigation, a lot of preliminary, important body data may be lost. The ideas listed below will act as a road map.
Planning the death scene investigation, cooperating with other investigators, documenting the scene, taking notes, recording, photographing, and sketching the scene, identifying the deceased and examining the body, gathering scene information, and gathering any evidence that might be discovered at the death scene. Talking to others about death. Calculating the post-mortem period on site. Concluding the death scene inquiry.
Instances of Different Crime Scenes
- Murder
- Poisoning homicide
- Suicide
- Accidents
- Natural deaths
- Unexpected baby death that occurs suddenly.
Medicolegal Death Investigator
The medicolegal death investigator's role is to investigate any death that falls within the jurisdiction of the medical examiner or coroner, including any suspicious, violent, inexplicable, or sudden deaths. The medicolegal death investigator is in charge of the deceased person, while local law enforcement is in charge of the scene.
The medicolegal death investigator conducts scene investigations, focusing on information obtained from the dead, and evaluates the extent to which more inquiry is required. Medicolegal death investigators should have a diverse set of education and experience in both medicine and law.
Conclusion
If possible, the medical and legal expert should go to the scene of the death before the autopsy. Even though death investigations vary per nation, a crime scene investigation team is always present. If the medical expert is unable to personally visit the death scene, he will examine the records (notes, sketches, photos, etc.) that the crime scene investigation team has generated. Investigation of the death scene may help to resolve many medicolegal fatalities. A medicolegal expert should never forget that an autopsy would be flawed if the death scene investigation is not carried out first.
If possible, the forensic medicine specialist should go to the scene of the death before the autopsy. In some situations, it's critical to discern between unintentional behaviours and homicidal or suicidal ones. For instance, a ligature mark on the neck typically indicates suicide or homicide. For a variety of reasons, compared to adults, children are more likely to be hurt or killed in accidents. Childhood accidental asphyxia can happen due to a multitude of circumstances.