ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 7

Autoerotic Asphyxial Death Initially Misinterpreted as Suicide and a Review of the Literature
Landrón, FJ
Forensic pathologist, Institute of Forensic Sciences, Puerto Rico

Garza-Leal, JA
Forensic pathologist and professor of legal medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, N.L.

(Received 5 February 1991; accepted 7 May 1991)

Abstract

Death during autoerotic activities is of special concern to law enforcement officials, medical examiners, the family of the decedent, and society in general. As in the probing of any violent demise, accurate identification, management, and preservation of all physical evidence; complete photographic documentation of the scene and the body; reconstruction of the scene; and interviews with the family and acquaintances (psychological autopsy) are mandatory for proper study, evaluation, and interpretation of the case. Because of a lack of knowledge on the part of many people, including professionals, about these activities and the fact that many autoerotic fatalities share common characteristics with suicide and homicide, these cases are often misinterpreted. The authors present a case of autoerotic accidental asphyxial death which was initially misinterpreted as suicide.

Keywords:
pathology and biology, autoeroticism, asphyxia, sexual asphyxia, hypoxyphilic behavior, accidental deaths, suicide, homicide, sexual behavior, forensic pathology

Paper ID: JFS13200J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13200J
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