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Suicidal strangulation with a lashing belt

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Abstract

Ligature strangulation causes death due to neck compression without suspension. However, suicidal ligature strangulation is rare. The suicide of a 32-year-old man is presented. After a dispute, the man was found outdoors with a lashing belt around his neck which had been pulled tight with a ratchet. Conjunctival petechiae were found, but hemorrhages in the soft tissues were not observed. The hyoid bone and larynx did not show fractures or hemorrhage. Other injuries as well as signs of defence were not observed. The differentiation between homicidal and suicidal ligature strangulation can be difficult and requires careful investigation and collaboration by police and forensic pathologists.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Bonn, Stiftsplatz 12, 53111, Bonn, Germany

    Elke Doberentz, Julian Geile & Burkhard Madea

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  1. Elke Doberentz
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  2. Julian Geile
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  3. Burkhard Madea
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Correspondence to Elke Doberentz.

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Doberentz, E., Geile, J. & Madea, B. Suicidal strangulation with a lashing belt. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 16, 531–534 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-020-00223-6

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