Image Based Question-65904

On postmortem examination, contusion of neck muscles is seen along with the fracture of bone as shown by a red arrow in the picture below.The most probable cause of death is ?

A. Smothering.

B. Mugging.

C. Burking.

D. Throttling.

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Correct Answer » A Explanation

Ans:D. Throttling.

The fracture bone shown by a red arrow in the picture above represents hyoid bone.

The most probable cause of death is: Throttling(Manual Strangulation)

STRANGULATION

• Ligature strangulation: neck constricted with a ligature
• Manual strangulation or Throttling: Neck constricted with hand
• Garroting – victim attacked from behind, throat may be grasped or ligature thrown and neck constricted
• Mugging – strangulation caused by holding the neck of the victim in the bend of the elbow.
• Bandsola – neck constricted between two bamboo sticks

Neck injuries in strangulation

• Skin – fingernail abrasions and/or fingertip bruises

• Soft tissue bruising – manual greater than ligature-especially where hands are re-applied; chokeholds; including congestive stasis in salivary glands, and the base of the tongue; soft tissue bruising/contusion of neck muscles is seen at the same level as a ligature.

• Laryngohyoid complex fracture is frequent -the most consistent morphological marker of homicidal neck compression(Most commonly seen in manual Strangulation)