Medicolegal complications of pseudologia fantastica.
A 46-year-old woman allegedly on a witness protection scheme who died under unusual circumstances with a factitious history of two previous homicide attempts and multiple medical problems including paraplegia and lung carcinoma is presented to demonstrate difficulties that may arise in the medicolegal investigation of such cases. A diagnosis of pseudologia fantastica was made once no corroboration of the presenting history or medical illnesses could be made. Death was due to haemorrhage from a self-inflicted incised wound to the arm.
Green
H
H
Forensic Science Centre, 21 Divett Place, Adelaide, 5000 South Australia, Australia.
James
R A
RA
Gilbert
J D
JD
Byard
R W
RW