Kite flying is a culturally significant activity in India, especially during festivals such as Makar Sankranti; however, the increasing use of glass-coated and synthetic kite strings (Manja threads) has emerged as a serious public safety hazard. These kite-strings possess high tensile strength and sharp cutting properties, causing severe incised injuries, particularly to the neck, which may be fatal. This case series describes three young men victims who sustained fatal cut-throat injuries following accidental contact with Manja threads while riding motorcycles. All cases showed deep incised wounds involving major blood vessels and/ or airway structures. Distinctive findings, including linear abrasions merging into incised wounds and characteristic clothing damage, supported the mechanism of injury. Such injuries simulate deliberate homicide or suicidal cut-throat wounds caused by sharp metallic weapons, posing diagnostic challenges. This case series will be helpful in differentiating between these injuries, which will be of vital importance for medico-legal investigation. Careful forensic evaluation and stricter enforcement of bans are essential to prevent such fatalities.
Forensic wound age estimation holds significant importance for criminal investigation and judicial identification. However, accurately deducing the time of injury remains a tricky point. In recent years, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have emerged as novel biomarkers, demonstrating great potential for estimating the age of skin and skeletal muscle wounds. This narrative review focuses on the regulatory roles of microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs) in wound healing and their forensic applications. We analyze and predict potential ncRNA indicators that could serve as biomarkers for wound age estimation in these tissues. In addition, this review integrates literature on skin and muscle injuries, which are usually treated separately, to provide a unified resource for forensic practitioners. Studies have shown that miRNAs exhibit dynamic expression patterns during wound healing and can be used to establish systems for wound age estimation. Meanwhile, lncRNAs and circRNAs are becoming the new focal points in forensic wound age estimation due to their tissue-specific and time-dependent expression characteristics. Moreover, the application of machine learning technologies provides innovative solutions for the development and prediction of ncRNA biomarkers. Nevertheless, the forensic application of ncRNAs still faces numerous challenges, such as limitations in sample sources, the complexity of expression regulatory mechanisms, and technical constraints. Future research should further explore the relationship between ncRNA expression dynamics and wound age and optimize methods for biomarker screening and validation to achieve more accurate and reliable tools for forensic wound age estimation.
Drowning is a leading cause of unintentional death globally, with diagnosis remaining challenging due to the non-specific nature of postmortem findings. This prospective study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of the pleural effusion (PE) ratio in differentiating freshwater drowning from other causes of death. A total of 179 medico-legal autopsies conducted between July 2022 and April 2023 at a tertiary centre in Northern India were analysed, comprising 75 cases of freshwater drowning, 64 sudden cardiac deaths and 40 hangings. PE and lung weights were recorded, and the PE ratio was calculated as the weight of PE divided by the combined weight of the lungs and PE, multiplied by 100. Statistically significant differences were observed in PE ratios among the three groups (p < 0.001). The mean PE ratio was markedly elevated in drowning cases (30.07) compared to cardiac (2.75) and hanging deaths (3.21). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis yielded an area under the curve of 1.0, identifying 7.4 as the optimal PE ratio threshold for diagnosing drowning, with 100% sensitivity and specificity. This study, based on freshwater drownings in a uniform glacier-fed river environment, supports the PE ratio as a reliable adjunct in diagnosing drowning deaths. A PE ratio exceeding 7.4 strongly indicates freshwater drowning and may aid forensic pathologists in differentiating it from postmortem submersion. It should be used in conjunction with circumstantial evidence and only after the exclusion of all other possible causes of death.
Mass fatality incidents place forensic medicine at the intersection of death investigation, public health, criminal justice, emergency management and institutional risk governance. Although disaster victim identification (DVI) is supported by international standards, the literature remains fragmented across case reports, technical guidance, discipline-specific accounts and after-action lessons. This scoping review mapped the medico-legal organisational evidence on mass fatality management, with particular attention to forensic governance models, operational vulnerabilities and transferable lessons for preparedness and quality assurance. Searches identified 2253 records in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science. After removal of 477 duplicates, 1776 records were screened; 93 reports were sought and retrieved for eligibility assessment; and 50 sources were retained for synthesis, including 39 core forensic-organisational sources and 11 supportive/contextual operational sources. The evidence converged on eight interdependent domains: pre-event governance and readiness; scene recovery and preservation of identity evidence; mortuary throughput; ante-mortem/post-mortem information governance; integration of primary identifiers and specialist teams; family assistance and ethical-cultural communication; occupational safety and psychological burden; and after-action learning. The review shows that mass fatality management should not be understood as a purely technical identification exercise. It is a high-risk medico-legal process whose reliability depends on command structures, interoperable documentation, chain-of-custody controls, workforce protection, family communication and post-incident audit. On this basis, we propose a descriptive Forensic Mass Fatality Governance Matrix as a non-scoring, audit-oriented framework for forensic units, hospitals and risk-management offices seeking to convert DVI standards into locally testable preparedness systems.
Facial recognition technology is an artificial intelligence-based biometric technology that stands at the forefront of global forensic investigations as a leading and widely adopted biometric modality. In comparison to alternative parameters such as voice, fingerprint, iris, retina, eye scan, gait, ear, and hand geometry; facial recognition emerges as the most popular and effective tool for personal identification and verification. Beyond its role in research, access control, user authentication, and border security, the technology plays a dynamic role in law enforcement and surveillance. Despite its extensive applications, the technology sparks privacy and ethical debates. Contemporary concerns revolve around its potential to implicate innocent individuals, raising issues of civil liberties, human rights, and privacy infringement. In light of these considerations, this article critically examines the reliability and consistency of facial recognition technology and incorporates case studies highlighting instances of wrongful detentions. It also explores the principles and functioning of facial recognition technology. The face recognition outcomes rely heavily on features that are extracted to reflect the face pattern and classification techniques used to distinguish between faces. However, there are a few limitations associated with the facial recognition technology. This is prone to errors in detecting some facial features and skin tones, which raises potential risks and consequences for innocent persons and communities. Therefore, these mistaken identity cases emphasize the urgent need for robust oversight, transparency and safeguards to ensure fairness, preventing misuse and upholding the dignity and privacy of individuals in the growing era of artificial intelligence. The present communication concludes with actionable recommendations to address the ethical and privacy challenges associated with facial recognition in the forensic context.
The rapid increase in minimally invasive dermocosmetic procedures has heightened medico-legal scrutiny, particularly regarding non-physician practitioners. Despite this trend, comprehensive evaluations of malpractice patterns and practitioner-related risk factors in Türkiye remain limited. This study retrospectively analyzed 505 cases referred to the Turkish Council of Forensic Medicine between 2018 and 2022, examining patient demographics, procedure types, lesion characteristics, practitioner profiles, clinical settings and forensic outcomes. Comparative analyses were conducted between physician- and aesthetician-performed procedures, as well as across age groups. The majority of complainants were young adult females (mean age 31.6 ± 8.17 years), with laser epilation most frequently implicated (51.5%). Non-physician aestheticians were involved in 73.8% of cases. First-degree burns were the predominant initial lesion (55.3%), while pigmentation (41.4%) and scarring (38.6%) were the most common long-term outcomes. Malpractice was confirmed in 16.0% of cases, with significant differences observed between practitioner groups in lesion type, location and session count (p < 0.001). In this complaint-driven forensic series, lesion patterns varied by practitioner type and setting, highlighting subsets of forensically significant adverse outcomes and practitioner-associated risk factors, rather than providing incidence estimates or comparative risk.
A bibliography of infanticide amounting to 3674 articles, books and theses was searched for case descriptions of filicide: 1050 had sufficient information to make a diagnosis: in 417 the death of the child was due to some form of abuse and 633 to some form of mental illness. This paper considers those due to mental illness under the headings of depression (306 cases), psychosis (119), vengeance (113), mercy-killing (49), alcoholism and drugs (31), epilepsy (10) and sleep disorders (5). The material was divided into 37 tables in the search for high-risk groups. There were approximately equal numbers published before (289) and after 1950 (344). Mothers exceeded fathers in all categories except alcoholism and family annihilation. Compared with abusive filicide, that due to mental illness more often results in multiple child deaths, but these are contemporaneous not serial filicides. Vengeance and family annihilation were more common in recent publications, while there were more suicide pacts, and cases of mercy killing due to extreme poverty, and of filicide linked to epilepsy and sleep disorders, in the early literature. This evidence from case reports suggests that depression with delusions or command hallucinations, and mental illness associated with childbearing (psychosis and depression, often with psychotic features) may be relatively dangerous. Mother-infant (perinatal) psychiatric services may contribute to the prevention of filicide.
An attempt to compile a comprehensive bibliography of infanticide found 3674 articles, books and theses. About 80% of these publications were obtained and searched for case descriptions of filicide. Of 1267 cases, 1050 had sufficient information to make a diagnosis on the balance of probability. In 417, the death of the child was due to some form of abuse and in 633 to some form of mental illness. This paper deals with abusive filicide under the headings of physical assault (148 cases), the elimination of unwanted children (140), starvation (62), medical abuse (20), sadistic cruelty (17), burial clubs (16), serial killers (7), sexual abuse (4) and the accidental death of neglected children (3). Mothers exceeded fathers in all groups except physical assault and sexual abuse. The literature contained almost equal numbers published before (209) and after 1950 (208), but there were striking differences in the frequency of groups in the early and late periods: while physical assault, medical abuse and serial killing are more common after 1950, the elimination of unwanted children is much less common. Since unwanted pregnancy is a factor in most forms of abusive filicide, it should be a target for prevention.
ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the demographic, epidemiological, and forensic characteristics of foreign nationals autopsied between 2020 and 2024 in Edirne, Türkiye.MethodsA retrospective review was performed on 917 autopsy cases from January 2020 to December 2024. Among these, 88 cases involving foreign nationals were analyzed. Variables included age, sex, reason for presence in Edirne, year and month of death, nationality, place of death, cause of death, and origin of death. Descriptive statistical analyses were applied.ResultsAmong the foreign nationals, 92% were male, with a mean age of 34.3 years, and the highest rate was observed in the 21-30 age group (42%). The most common reasons for being in Edirne were being a refugee (61.4%), a worker (14.8%), and a truck driver (13.6%). The number of foreign national autopsies peaked in 2021 and declined in later years. The leading causes of death were drowning (34.1%), traffic accidents (13.6%), and myocardial infarction (10.2%). Drowning cases showed a decreasing trend. Deaths most frequently occurred in rivers (37.5%), rural areas (14.8%), and highways (13.6%).ConclusionForeign national deaths in Edirne appear to be associated with migration routes, international transportation, and tourism-related mobility. Refugees remain at risk of preventable causes of death throughout their journeys. Improving conditions and safety at border crossings, reinforcing occupational safety, and enhancing health screenings for professional drivers may help reduce mortality. These deaths should be addressed not only for forensic evaluation but also within a public health and human rights framework.
There is a view that doctors who prepare medico-legal reports should obtain feedback from the subjects of their reports. The view of the authors is that this is a misunderstanding of General Medical Council guidance on appraisal and revalidation. The practical, empirical, legal and ethical reasons are set out.
This study aimed to examine the demographic and criminological characteristics of femicide cases involving girls under the age of 18 in Türkiye. Data were obtained from publicly available sources, including ‘ https://kadincinayetlerinidurduracagiz.net/ ’, ‘ https://anitsayac.com ’ and national and local media reports. Cases of girls and adolescents under 18 who were killed between 2010 and 2024 were retrospectively reviewed. Categorical variables are presented as frequencies and percentages. A total of 254 victims were identified over the 15-year period. The mean age was 11.72 ± 5.27 years, and 5.5% (n = 14) were married. The vast majority of perpetrators were male (n = 240, 94.5%). Fathers (n = 96, 37.8%) and strangers (n = 36, 14.2%) were the most frequent perpetrators. Most victims were killed at home (n = 199, 78.3%), and more than half (53.1%) were killed with a firearm. The leading motives included rape (n = 23, 9.1%) and preventing the child from being left alone (n = 23, 9.1%). The findings highlight that firearms were the most common method of killing, and that intrafamilial femicide – particularly by fathers – represents a major risk for girls in Türkiye. Urgent measures are needed to strengthen firearm regulations and to enhance child protection mechanisms against family-based violence. Further research is warranted to inform prevention strategies targeting the killing of girls and adolescents.
Child physical abuse (CPA) is a serious public health concern with lifelong adverse consequences. Socioeconomic position (SEP) is a well-established determinant of adverse exposures. However, evidence of its role as a risk factor for CPA and its interaction with other risk factors remains limited. This study aimed to identify the effect of SEP on CPA and how SEP might condition other risk factors, comparing police-reported and forensically examined children with the background population in Denmark. We extracted register-based data on 356 children who underwent forensic examinations in Copenhagen between 2020 and 2023. A register-based control group was established, including all children in Denmark aged 4–14 years as of January 1, 2022 ( N = 697,550). Logistic regression models were applied to model the odds of CPA as a function of SEP with child- and family characteristics. We observed that children living in families with low SEP had higher odds of being exposed to CPA (OR: 6.16; CI: 4.51–8.41), especially younger children aged 4–7 years (OR: 3.66; CI: 2.91–4.56), children with immigrant parents (OR: 8.83; CI: 6.12–12.73), and children living in single-parents families (OR: 2.90; CI: 2.29–3.67). No changes in odds were observed with the child's sex or maternal age at the child's birth. In conclusion, the odds of exposure to CPA were increased with low SEP, younger age (4–7 years), parental origin outside Denmark, and growing up in single-parent families. In contrast, the child's sex and the mother's age at the child's birth were not significantly associated with abuse.
Deaths involving prolonged starvation and immobility are commonly interpreted through frameworks of neglect, restraint, abuse or medical failure. This paper re-examines a published forensic case involving a 47-year-old woman who died following prolonged inanition, immobility and repeated non-lethal trauma. Autopsy findings included extreme cachexia, fixed joint ankylosis, circumferential lower limb ulcers, bilateral rib fractures in different stages of healing and marked organ atrophy in the absence of disease or toxicological explanation. The reported history of recent independent ambulation and feeding was incompatible with the degree of musculoskeletal degeneration and physiological decline. The case, therefore, demonstrates the evidentiary value of physiological contradiction in reconstructing timelines of deterioration. Building on existing forensic approaches to starvation, restraint, abuse and neglect, this paper identifies a narrower classification problem: how to interpret deaths in which deterioration, dependency, survivable trauma, possible localised intervention and harm coexist within the same clinical trajectory. The analysis argues that binary distinctions between care and neglect may obscure cases where limited or selective intervention occurs alongside sustained deprivation. A trauma-informed forensic approach is proposed, not as a therapeutic framework, but as an evidence-led method for interpreting dependency, impaired resistance, delayed help-seeking, caregiver accounts and physiological contradiction without treating silence, immobility or survival as evidence of consent, passivity or adequate care.
Forensic medical practitioners serve as the vital link between healthcare and the legal system, utilizing scientific medical knowledge to ensure justice. This close link places them at risk of legal liability, even in the absence of a traditional therapeutic doctor-patient relationship. In this paper, different legal liabilities faced by forensic examiners are exposed, ranging from breaches of confidentiality, lack of accurate reporting, and the issues of subjectivity of expert opinion. In order to demonstrate how diverse jurisdictions achieve a balance between practitioner protection and accountability, various international immunity frameworks are discussed, including the USA (quasi-judicial, witness, and qualified immunity), Europe (state responsibility), and Australia (specialized insurance frameworks). The study then shifts to the Saudi Arabian setting, evaluating recent legal changes, including the 2021 Law of Evidence, as well as the "injury" dilemma under the Law of Practicing Healthcare Professions. Despite the absence of documented lawsuits against forensic examiners in Saudi Arabia, this paper argues that such absence reflects procedural barriers rather than substantive immunity, creating a false sense of security. After identifying systemic vulnerabilities, authors suggested a comprehensive reform plan by forming a national forensic medicine committee to standardize protocols, developing a specialized insurance policy, mandate legal liability training integrated into the Saudi Board of Forensic Medicine curriculum, and promote a defensible practice culture. The study finds that proactive reform is necessary not only to safeguard practitioners but also to improve public confidence in the Saudi legal system and the integrity of forensic evidence.
