ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 September 2003
Page Count: 5

Parasomnia Pseudo-Suicide
(Received 3 April 2003; accepted 29 March 2003)

Abstract

Complex behaviors arising from the sleep period may result in violent or injurious consequences, even death. Those resulting in death may be erroneously deemed suicides. A series of case examples and review of the pertinent literature are provided to increase awareness of the possibility that some apparent "suicides" are the unfortunate, but unintentional, consequence of sleep-related complex behaviors and therefore are without premeditation, conscious awareness, or personal responsibility. The correct cause-of-death determination in such cases may have profound social, religious, and insurance implications for surviving friends and family members.

Keywords:
forensic science, suicide, pseudo-suicide, parasomnias, sleepwalking, sleep terrors, REM sleep behavior disorder, sleep-related violence, parasomnia overlap syndrome

Paper ID: JFS2002399
DOI: 10.1520/JFS2002399
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