An unusual mechanism for patterned bruising in a fatal fall from a building

Excerpt

A 90-year-old man was found dead lying on the ground in front of a building. He had committed suicide by jumping from the 5th floor (approximately 15 m height) of the building where he had lived in his apartment. His medical records revealed that the man had suffered from dementia with a history of psychiatric disorders and suicidal tendencies. A suicide note was found in his apartment. External examination of the body revealed blunt force injuries on the skin (abrasions and hematomas) of the thorax and on the limbs. Of note, an unusual finding was that of patterned bruising of the right forearm with parallel linear stripes along the posterior surface of the arm overlying the right radius and ulna (Fig. 1). At autopsy, multiple fractures of the thoracic cage including the sternum, the ribs and the thoracic spine, were found. Complete transmural tears of the heart were also observed together with extensive contusions and tears of both lungs and the liver. In addition, there were comminuted fractures of the lower limbs. Toxicological examination was negative. Death was attributed to multiple trauma. The manner of death was ruled as a suicide.

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