Page 100 - CFDI Guide

Certified Forensic Death Investigator (CFDI) Program
Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI, CFDI-Expert and Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI, CFDI-SME
Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC
Criminal Defense Investigation Training Council (CDITC) Accredited

Identification and Assessment

Especially in asphyxia deaths – where the preponderance of the evidence is the body and medical -
experience is important – and lack of experience can lead to incorrect conclusions. For this reason, it is

best to rely more on the medical examiner findings than pre-autopsy law enforcement findings – there are
several medical issues presented at autopsy, which should guide the law enforcement investigation. In the

review and analysis by the CFDI all official investigation assessments must be taken into account – law
enforcement (first responders and scene detectives), medical examiner investigators, and autopsy.

Judgment is deferred to the autopsy assessment as it is likely the most accurate as to description of

injuries and recovery of evidence from the decedent. Non-Fatal events have similar considerations, with
no benefit of autopsy (i.e. examining neck muscles for hemorrhages); and at autopsy is examined the neck
muscles for hemorrhages, and internal neck structures for injuries (hyoid bone), organs (lung petechial

hemorrhaging), etc. Clinical diagnosis is otherwise similar and a forensic pathologist should be consulted in

criminal defense. Similar external physical injuries may be seen – face, lips, tongue, eyes, ears, neck
scratches, neck rashes, etc. Clinical diagnosis is next and a forensic pathologist should be consulted in

criminal defense.

In asphyxia deaths, assessment is very important – everything from indications of body position and
movement, to visible injuries or lack of injuries. Although the autopsy will be more indicative, the on-scene

assessment if possible is important. In clinical, or living persons, they are able to express what happened –
an on-scene assessment should speak the same for the decedent. Some common observations to note

include:
• Tardieu spots and petechiae sometimes found, not always.

• Suffocation and smothering: blankets, pillows, plastic seen in sexual activities, auto-erotic, accident,
homicide, suicide, and natural (seizures, drug & alcohol use, and child deaths).

• Choking: on foreign objects and food, anaphylactic reaction (allergic reactions), intoxication
• food (is person intoxicated?)

• Traumatic/ mechanical compression: inhibiting chest movement – inspiration and respiration

• Positional asphyxia seen in infants and elderly, and intoxicated
• Manual strangulation: look for defensive and struggle indications, chokeholds, etc.

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