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Chapter-20 Infanticide and Child Abuse

BOOK TITLE: Review of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology

Author
1. Biswas Gautam
ISBN
9788184487176
DOI
10.5005/jp/books/10737_20
Edition
1/e
Publishing Year
2010
Pages
11
Author Affiliations
1. Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjab, India, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, India, Dayanand Medical College , Ludhiana, Punjab, India, Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjab, India, E-mail: forensicdmc@gmail.com
Chapter keywords

Abstract

This chapter discusses various aspects of infanticide and child abuse in detail. Postmortem examination of infants, age of fetus, rule of hasse, features seen in dead-born fetus, signs of live birth, battered baby syndrome, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), are some topics discussed in detail. Postmortem blisters may be present in dead-born fetus containing red serous fluid. In postmortem examination, the presence of marks of crushing by artery forceps, clean-cut margins and ligature are suggestive of live birth. Histological examination shows that unrespired lung looks like the parotid gland, with alveolar sacs closed, lined with cuboidal/columnar cells, and less vascularity. Death of the newborn due to precipitate labor may be taken as a case of deliberate infanticide and the mother may claim infanticide, but death of the newborn is due to precipitate labor. Prolonged sleep apnea is presently accepted as the most acceptable of the suggested causes of sudden and unexpected death of an infant. Medico-legal aspects state that SIDS is a natural death, in which the parents may be wrongfully linked for having criminal involvement or negligence.

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