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Case report: Forensic anthropological assessment in a suspected case of child abuse from South Africa.
- Source :
-
Forensic science international [Forensic Sci Int] 2011 May 20; Vol. 208 (1-3), pp. e6-9. Date of Electronic Publication: 2011 Feb 12. - Publication Year :
- 2011
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Abstract
- Not many case reports of suspected child abuse as assessed solely on skeletal remains are available. Forensic anthropologists have intimate knowledge of normal skeletal anatomy, bone trauma and processes of healing of bone and may therefore be of help in suspected cases of child abuse. Patterns of trauma in juvenile skeletal remains which are suggestive of abuse include fractures in different phases of healing, multiple fractures, typical fractures on ribs and long bones and severe, complicated cranial fractures. The aim of this paper is to report on the findings of the analysis of the skeletal remains of a 3.5 years old boy. Forensic pathological examination indicated that the boy had died from a massive cranial fracture, with multiple injuries present to the rest of the body. After the body had been buried for some time, it was exhumed and we were requested to look for signs of chronic, long-term abuse. Findings included a massive cranial fracture, another fracture in the roof of the orbit, two areas of non-specific subperiosteal bone growth and several untreated carious teeth. No clear healed fracture could be found, except for a possible healed cranial base fracture which stretched transversely across the petrosal bone. This area showed signs of recent bone activity. The court decided that this was not enough evidence of chronic abuse and found the accused guilty of murder but not of chronic child abuse. This case illustrates the difficulty to obtain clear signs of chronic injury on juvenile remains.<br /> (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)
- Subjects :
- Body Height
Body Weight
Child, Preschool
Dental Caries pathology
Exhumation
Forensic Anthropology
Humans
Incisor injuries
Incisor pathology
Male
Periosteum
Petrous Bone pathology
South Africa
Tooth Fractures pathology
Tooth Socket injuries
Tooth Socket pathology
Child Abuse diagnosis
Homicide
Orbital Fractures pathology
Skull Fractures pathology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1872-6283
- Volume :
- 208
- Issue :
- 1-3
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Forensic science international
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 21320759
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2011.01.023