Search

Copyright of Rechtsmedizin is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Two cases from the Ruhr Area in Western Germany are presented. In each case, the deceased had been wrapped in plastic bags and placed inside a large compost bin in the backyard of the property. In both cases, the relatives claimed that the decedent had died from a natural cause and that they had concealed the body to ensure the further payment of the nursing care and pension benefits. In the first case, the responsible person stated that the body had been inside the bin for three years; in case 2 the postmortem interval indicated was 6 months. In spite of the closed lid of the bin the insect infestation was extensive and rich in species: Empty pupal cases of several blowfly species were collected as well as histerids and pupal cases of Fannia scalaris in the first case. In case 2, phorids and larval skins of dermestids were also found.