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Traumatic Injury Pattern Analysis in a Light Rail Transit Death: A Retrospective Case Study
Author(s) -
Kendell Ashley E.,
Fleischman Julie M.,
Fulginiti Laura C.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/1556-4029.12721
Subject(s) - context (archaeology) , forensic engineering , dismemberment , poison control , forensic pathology , medicine , injury prevention , medical examiner , surgery , autopsy , medical emergency , engineering , history , archaeology , law , pathology , politics , political science
Abstract Within the context of medical examiner's offices, forensic anthropologists are increasingly being asked to assist with the interpretation of traumatic skeletal injury. This case study presents an example of trauma analysis performed by forensic anthropologists at the Maricopa County Forensic Science Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The primary goal of this study is to document an uncommon pattern of traumatic injury—severe grinding abrasions of the lower appendage that macroscopically resemble sharp force trauma, especially as observed in dismemberment cases—resulting from an individual being dragged beneath a Light Rail train for c . 1.7 miles. The abraded skeletal elements include a femoral shaft fragment, a femoral head portion, and the right foot. Second, this study aims to illustrate the efficacy of forensic anthropological analysis of patterned skeletal trauma. Finally, this study demonstrates the critical importance of analyzing scene information before drawing conclusions as to the etiology of a traumatic injury pattern.