Presence of Fecal Material in Diapers as a Potential Source of Error in Estimations of Postmortem Interval Using Arthropod Development Rates

• NCJ Number: 132538
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 36 Issue: 5 Dated: (September 1991) Pages: 1603-1606
• Author(s): M L Goff; S Charbonneau; W Sullivan
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 4 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Test/Measurement
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Journal Series No. 3507 of the Hawaii Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources

Annotation

A case report of a 16-month-old child abandoned by her mother in Hawaii is presented to illustrate the potential for misinterpretation of the postmortem interval because of larval activity prior to the death.

Abstract

Second instar larvae of the Fly Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera, Cakkuogirudae) were recovered form the diaper of this child, indicating a minimum of 23.5 hours of exposure prior to the discovery of the body. However, this species is not commonly found invading living tissue. It is more commonly associated with early stages of decomposition in human and animal feces in the islands and other outdoor habitats. In the absence of data on these sites of infestation, the postmortem interval estimated would have been significantly longer that was the actual case because of the development of larvae inside the diapers of the living child. This case study demonstrates another antemortem event which may introduce error into the estimate of death in cases involving infants, the elderly, and individuals not capable of caring for themselves. In addition it illustrates the importance of appropriate collection techniques for sampling arthropods associated with decomposing remains. 2 figures and 6 references (Author abstract modified)