CSI Forensic Death Investigation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which term describes the greenish discoloration of the abdomen that typically appears 24-36 hours after death?
- Livor mortis
- Putrefaction (Correct answer)
- Marbling
- Saponification
Correct answer: Putrefaction
Putrefaction begins with greenish discoloration of the abdomen (usually at the right iliac fossa) as bacteria break down tissues, typically starting 24-36 hours post-mortem.
Question 2: What does the term 'asphyxia' refer to in a forensic death investigation context?
- Death caused by a toxic substance
- Deprivation of oxygen resulting in unconsciousness or death (Correct answer)
- Cardiac arrest due to blunt force
- Sudden neurological failure
Correct answer: Deprivation of oxygen resulting in unconsciousness or death
Asphyxia refers to a condition in which the body is deprived of sufficient oxygen, which can lead to unconsciousness and death, and includes causes such as strangulation, suffocation, and drowning.
Question 3: During an autopsy, a forensic pathologist notes 'tardieu spots' on the visceral pleura. What are these?
- Petechial hemorrhages caused by asphyxia (Correct answer)
- Post-mortem artifact bruises
- Bile staining from liver decomposition
- Thermal burns from incineration
Correct answer: Petechial hemorrhages caused by asphyxia
Tardieu spots are petechial hemorrhages found on serosal surfaces (such as the pleura and pericardium) that result from increased venous pressure during asphyxial death.
Question 4: A body recovered from water shows 'washerwoman's hands.' What does this finding indicate?
- Victim was manually strangled before submersion
- Prolonged immersion causing skin maceration (Correct answer)
- Hypothermia-induced vasoconstriction
- Clenching during an epileptic seizure
Correct answer: Prolonged immersion causing skin maceration
Washerwoman's hands (wrinkling and whitening of the skin on the palms and soles) result from prolonged immersion in water, causing maceration of the outer skin layers.
Question 5: Which type of injury pattern is most consistent with a high-velocity gunshot wound compared to a low-velocity wound?
- Larger entry wound with minimal tissue damage
- Small entry wound with extensive internal cavitation (Correct answer)
- Entry and exit wounds of equal size
- No entry wound — only an exit wound
Correct answer: Small entry wound with extensive internal cavitation
High-velocity projectiles create a temporary cavity through tissue displacement, resulting in a small entry wound but extensive internal tissue destruction and often a larger exit wound.
Question 6: What is 'manner of death' as distinct from 'cause of death'?
- The specific disease or injury that caused death
- The classification into natural, accident, homicide, suicide, or undetermined (Correct answer)
- The estimated time elapsed since death
- The pathological mechanism by which life ceased
Correct answer: The classification into natural, accident, homicide, suicide, or undetermined
Manner of death is a medicolegal classification (natural, accident, homicide, suicide, or undetermined) that describes the circumstances surrounding a death, distinct from the specific cause.
Question 7: Which insect is most commonly used in forensic entomology to estimate the minimum post-mortem interval (PMI)?
- Dermestes maculatus (hide beetle)
- Calliphora vicina (blowfly) (Correct answer)
- Formica rufa (red ant)
- Tenebrio molitor (mealworm beetle)
Correct answer: Calliphora vicina (blowfly)
Blowflies (Calliphoridae), particularly Calliphora vicina, are primary colonizers of remains and their developmental stages are used to estimate the minimum time since death.
CSI Forensic Death Investigation 2
Which term describes the greenish discoloration of the abdomen that typically appears 24-36 hours after death?