Unusual infant death: dog attack or postmortem mutilation after child abuse?
An unusual form of fatal child abuse is reported in which investigations by the police and the medical examiner were able to distinguish blunt force head trauma followed by postmortem dismemberment from a fatal dog attack. A discussion of the approaches used to ascertain the correct diagnosis is presented, as well as an overview of dog attacks on humans.
Boglioli
L R
LR
Section of Cardiology, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, New York, USA.
Taff
M L
ML
Turkel
S J
SJ
Taylor
J V
JV
Peterson
C D
CD
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004285:Dogs; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012886:Skull / Q000293:injuries*