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TOXICOLOGICAL FINDINGS: The
Victim- 19-year-old male

Incident -assaulted and placed head- victim was confirmed to be alcohol-
intoxicated at the time of death.
down in the back of a car.
Brush abrasions show that the victim CAUSE OF DEATH: The case was
diagnosed as death due to positional
had been dragged towards the
vehicle. asphyxia, as asphyxia resulting from an
unusual body position that interfered with
The head and right shoulder were
breathing and pulmonary ventilation.
wedged into the footwell, with the
rest of the body uppermost, creating Case study 3: Positional asphyxia death in
a severely restricted breathing Mangaluru, Karnataka

posture.
SCENE DESCRIPTION: A 26-year-old
AUTOPSY FINDINGS male was found dead inside his residence in

Marked congestion of the face, Mangaluru, Karnataka. The discovery was
neck, and upper chest made early in the morning hours after he

Petechiae (red or purple spots) in failed to respond to repeated calls. He was
the eyes last seen heavily intoxicated late the previous

Bruising on the face and scalp night after a drinking session with friends.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage The body was located in an unusual, self-

Cerebral swelling assumed position that restricted normal

respiratory movement. The victim was
TOXICOLOGY: negative for alcohol partially slumped, with his torso flexed

and drugs
forward and his neck bent at an angle that
limited airway patency. His limbs were

CAUSE OF DEATH: HIE(oxygen
awkwardly positioned, and his back was
supply to the brain is reduced or pressed against a low surface, further

stopped) resulting from positional
reducing chest expansion.
asphyxia due to unusual body

positioning.
AUTOPSY FINDINGS

External examination: no abrasions,

lacerations, or contusions were found on
the face, neck, etc. No ligature marks or
restraint impressions were seen.