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Medico-legal opinion based on autopsy findings of a victim of an explosion involving mass fatality

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dc.contributor.author Thivaharan, Y.
dc.contributor.author Kitulwatte, I.D.G.
dc.date.accessioned 2022-08-05T08:00:06Z
dc.date.available 2022-08-05T08:00:06Z
dc.date.issued 2020
dc.identifier.citation Academic Forensic Pathology.2020;10(3-4):158-165 en_US
dc.identifier.issn 1925-3621 (Electronic)
dc.identifier.uri http://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/24960
dc.description Not Indexed in MEDLINE, In PUBMED en
dc.description.abstract Introduction: Investigation into explosions is one of the major areas in forensic medicine and pathology. Medico legal issues associated with these deaths are diverse and forensic experts are often expected to make clarifications. Assistance of a methodical scientific investigation of such a death in evaluation of unanswered medico legal issues, of an autopsy of one of the victims of Easter Sunday explosions is discussed. Case history: The deceased was a 15-year-old girl who was participating in the Easter mass at St. Sebastian’s Church - Kattuwapaitya, Negombo, Sri Lanka when a suicide bomber blew himself up. The mother of the deceased noticed the deceased being rushed to the hospital. However, she was pronounced dead on admission. Pre-autopsy radiology revealed spherical shrapnel in the temporal region. At autopsy, the fatal injury was found on the head and a detailed study revealed skull fractures associated with penetration by 3 shrapnels. There was a keyhole lesion among the penetrations. Internal examination revealed an extensive dural tear underlying the compound fracture. The brain was grossly edematous with lacerations on the frontal and parietal lobes associated with localized subarachnoid hemorrhage. There were multiple underlying contusions on bilateral frontal white matter. Small subarachnoid haemorrhage was noted on the basal aspect of the brain. Discussion: Careful evaluation of the autopsy findings assisted in formulating the opinion scientifically on event reconstruction including the proximity of the victim to the epicenter of explosion and nature of explosive device, period of survival, mechanism of causation of skull fractures and the mechanism of death in addition to the cause of death. Conclusion: A forensic pathologist following a meticulous autopsy examination, along with a team of ballistic experts and specially trained police personnel play a pivotal task in analyzing a scene of explosion and an autopsy of a victim, in concluding the case and in bringing justice to all the victims and survivors of the catastrophe. en_US
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.publisher Academic Forensic Pathology International en_US
dc.subject Forensic pathology en_US
dc.subject Shrapnel en_US
dc.subject Explosion en_US
dc.title Medico-legal opinion based on autopsy findings of a victim of an explosion involving mass fatality en_US
dc.type Article en_US


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