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Injuries sustained by children inside clothes dryers: a report of a fatality and review of the literature

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Abstract

We report a case of a 4-year-old child found dead at his home inside a domestic clothes (tumble) dryer. The child had been reported missing in the morning by his mother and found a short time later inside the dryer with the door shut. The child was pronounced dead at the scene. A pre-autopsy computed tomography scan identified findings associated with aggressive resuscitation attempts. Post-mortem examination showed generalised blunt trauma to his head and limbs, a thin film subdural haemorrhage and burns from contact with hot components and hot air whilst being trapped alive inside the active dryer. A forensic examination of the dryer revealed that it was possible for the child to become trapped in the dryer by his own action and that the dryer could operate for sufficient time to allow for the causation of the injuries to the child. A review of the medical literature and media reports of deaths related to clothes dryer, injuries sustained to survivors and use of dryers as a body disposal site is presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. East Midlands Forensic Pathology Unit, University of Leicester, Robert Kilpatrick Building, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester, LE2 7LX, UK

    Sarah Saunders & Guy Rutty

  2. Derbyshire Constabulary, CSI Unit, Wyatt’s Way, Ripley, Derbyshire, DE5 3SU, UK

    Anthony Coombes

Authors
  1. Sarah Saunders
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  2. Anthony Coombes
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  3. Guy Rutty
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Correspondence to Guy Rutty.

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Saunders, S., Coombes, A. & Rutty, G. Injuries sustained by children inside clothes dryers: a report of a fatality and review of the literature. Int J Legal Med 126, 461–465 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-011-0631-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-011-0631-0

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