Determining cause of death is the most important task a pathologist can perform during the course of an autopsy. In terms of legality, it is a necessity for law enforcement to be able to prove beyond any doubt that the deceased has died of means other than natural causes.
Indeed, such are the statistics of murder in parts of the world that it is a basic requirement for any individual who has died unexpectedly to have an autopsy performed on them in order to prove definitely the cause of death and rule out the chance of foul play.
Factors to consider
A number of factors are considered when determining the cause of death.
First, was the deceased found in a place where he would not normally have been? Where are they in a state of undress or do they have visible injuries that do not normally occur in a natural death? If injuries were present, were they the result of a knife or gun attack?
All these questions must be answered and satisfactorily answered in the eyes of the pathologist. Some deaths require an inquest to decide how the individual died - whether it is accidental, accidental or natural and a pathologist will be called in to give expert evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt what the actual cause of death was.
Deciding on the cause
The exact nature of death is such that proving how it occurred can sometimes be a difficult task. There may not necessarily be visible signs of how the death occurred, nor may there be any history of ill health that can be relied upon as a means of diagnosis.
Medical records, psychiatric reports and statements from next of kin are required when death occurs without any warning. This is so that he can build a detailed picture of an individual's life along the way. This is useful if, for example, the deceased was suffering from high levels of stress and when heart failure may have occurred.
But the main way the cause of death can be determined is by performing an autopsy; an autopsy offers definitive evidence of the cause of death and can also shed light on how the death occurred. For example, if the victim died as a result of a fatal stabbing, an autopsy may show that the perpetrator was left-handed or right-handed, taller or shorter, heavier or lighter, all characteristics that are useful in building a physical profile of the assailant.
Likewise, an autopsy can prove whether the deceased tried to defend himself or was simply overpowered by the attacker; again, useful information in creating a picture of the crime.
In addition to these points, an autopsy can also help estimate the time of death, which can be difficult if the deceased was found outdoors or was found after a long period of missing. Again, determining the cause of death and estimating the time of death are extremely beneficial in any criminal investigation and offer valuable clues as to the last moments or hours of an individual's life before death.
Written By:
Ms. Raheena
Volunteer of AFRS
