NCJ Number
206672
Journal
Canadian Society of Forensic Science Volume: 37 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2004 Pages: 119-121
Editor(s)
B. Yamashita
Date Published
June 2004
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This case report presents findings from a case where the cause of death for an individual could not be attributed to one factor and was eventually found to be attributed to a combination of high blood alcohol concentration and blunt trauma.
Abstract
A 41-year old man was found unresponsive face down in a parking lot after an apparent physical altercation with two other individuals. The man subsequently died after cardiopulmonary resuscitation efforts failed. An autopsy was performed approximately 9 hours after death revealing only soft tissue injuries to the face without significant scalp bruising or craniocerebral trauma which was insufficient to cause death. However, toxicology analysis revealed high body fluid alcohol concentrations: peripheral blood (88.4 mmol/L), urine (114.6 mmol/L), and vitreous humour (97.0 mmol/L). None of the anatomical findings at the autopsy, in and of themselves, were considered to be severe enough to cause death. The cause of death was attributed to the combination of high alcohol central nervous system depressant effects and concussive brain injury. The case showed a pattern of facial trauma and acute alcohol intoxication associated with death as described in previously reported cases. The individual could have suffered a concussive brain injury, which in combination with the high blood alcohol concentration would be expected to produce post-injury apnea, causing the death to be attributed to the combined effects of the two factors.