An unusual case of suicide by sharp force.
A 43-year-old woman was found dead inside the bathtub in a sitting position with a knife embedded in chest. Multiple sharp force wounds were present: 4 stab wounds in the sternal region, 2 cut wounds in the neck, several longitudinal and transverse cuts in the arms. Scene circumstances and autopsy findings pointed toward a suicidal etiology. The case presented some particular aspects that allowed us to identify the mechanism of production of the lethal thoracic wound and to partially reconstruct the time-sequence of injuries.
Viel
Guido
G
Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health-Legal Medicine, Via Falloppio 50, 35121 Padova, Italy. guido.viel@unipd.it
Cecchetto
Giovanni
G
Montisci
Massimo
M
D000328:Adult; D001134:Arm Injuries / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000473:pathology; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000473:pathology; D013405:Suicide; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000473:pathology; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000473:pathology*