NCJ Number
131253
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 36 Issue: 4 Dated: (July 1991) Pages: 1074-1078
Date Published
1991
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The medical history and autopsy data from 62 successive cases of infant death at Los Angeles County Office of the Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner was examined to determine the presence of any differences between those with cocaine present and those without cocaine.
Abstract
Of the 62 infants studied, 4 had congenital anomalies, 6 congenital infections, 9 maternal or fetal trauma, and 43 undetermined causes of death. In the latter group, the interval between death or stillbirth and autopsy ranged from 14 to 423 hours. Toxicology studies were performed on blood, liver, brain, spleen, and kidney including a radioimmunoassay for cocaine and benzoylecgonine levels. Cocaine, benzoylecgonine, or both were found in 17 of the 43 infants (40 percent) without knowing cause of death at autopsy. Cocaine was detected in the blood of 9 infants, in the liver of 5 infants, and in the brain of 3 infants. Most concentrations were below the range considered fatal for adults, except for one stillborn. None of the autopsy or history variables studied predicted the presence of cocaine or benzoylecgonine in the infants. For this reason, testing for cocaine or benzoylecgonine at autopsy of all infants who die at less than two days of age from undetermined causes is recommended. 1 table, 1 figure, and 8 references (Author abstract modified)