title: Planned complex suicide: Self-strangulation and plaster ingestion.
abstract: The literature contains many case reports of planned and complex suicides, which combine various methods to commit suicide. In this article, we present the anomalous suicide of an adult male by strangulation with a belt and simultaneous ingestion of plaster. The specific circumstances of the case are described and relevant literature is briefly reviewed. This case vignette illustrates one example of the wide ranging methods employed in suicides and may represent the first reported case of a fatal complex suicide involving self-strangulation and plaster ingestion. Knowledge of varied and sometimes unusual suicide methods is important to the forensic investigator to prevent unnecessary criminal investigation and to reliably and confidently establish manner and cause of death.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany. tanja.germerott@irm.unibe.ch
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Germerott
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jaenisch
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hatch
authors.forename: Urs-Vito
authors.initials: UV
authors.lastname: Albrecht
authors.forename: Detlef
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guenther
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology*; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000209:etiology*; D002133:Calcium Sulfate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003252:Construction Materials / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000473:pathology; D013405:Suicide
chemical_list: D002133:Calcium Sulfate