Forensic medicine -child offence

1. Forensic Medicine
Dr. Suchita Rawat (MSc, MPhil, PhD)

2. Unit 4: Special Cases in Forensic Medicine
Sexual offences: Rape, unnatural sexual offences, External and
internal findings in living and dead; Protection of Children Against
Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012; Infanticide, foeticide; Medico
legal aspects of abortion, Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act,
1971; External and internal findings in living and dead mother, fetus
and infants; Estimation of age of the foetus.

3. Abortion
● Legal definition
(S.312, IPC).
(pregnancy lasts 10 lunar
months, 40 weeks or 280 days)
● Medical definition
(28 weeks)
● Difference therapeutic
vs. criminal abortion
● legal aspects of
abortion (S.312-16,
S.511, IPC)

4. Abortion
Clinical classification
According to method
induced
According to time period
• Complete
• Incomplete
• Induced: medical/elective
• Inevitable: vaginal
bleeding/membrane rupture
• Missed
• Recurrent
• Septic
• Spontaneous
• Therapeutic
• Threatened: 20 week before
• Natural
• Artificial
• Early: before 12 weeks
• Late: after 12 weeks

6. METHODS OF PROCURING CRIMINAL ABORTION
Abortifacient drugs Violence Local methods Miscellaneous

7. Abortifacient Drugs
Ecbolics:
uterine
contraction
Emmenagogues
: increases
menstrual flow
Drugs
acting
directly
on the
uterus (i)
cantharides
(ii) Oil of
pennyroyal
(iii) Oil of
tansy
(iv)
Potassium
permangana
te crystals
Irritants
of the
genitourin
ary tract
i) Emetics –
Tartar
emetic
(ii) Saline
cathartics
[MgSO4]
(iii) Strong
purgatives
Irritants
of the
GIT
(1)
Corrosives
(2)
Irritants
Local
applicatio
n of
irritants (1)Inorganic
irritants
(2) Organic
irritants
Systemic
poisons
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed
under CC BY-ND

8. EVIDENCE OF CRIMINAL
ABORTION
 female genitals excision
 abortion by drugs effects on
female genitals ,git and urinary
tract/ instrumental abortion
features i.e. embolism,
infections, injuries/ Abortion by
syringing features Clothes,
Genital canal, Fluid, Venous
system
ML ASPECTS OF ABORTION
A. Fabricated Abortion/ B.
Trauma and Abortion
Schedule
B. III of Workmens’ Compensation
Act 1923 [WCA 1923]

9. Intrauterine dead
Stillbirth
Infanticide

10. Features Stillborn fetus Dead-born fetus
1. Definition Fetus which is born after 28 weeks of
pregnancy and which did not breath or show
any other signs of life, at any time after being
completely born
Fetus which has died in utero
2. Condition in utero Fetus was alive in utero, but dies during the
process of delivery
Dead in utero
3. Findings Signs of prolonged labor, like edema, bleeding
into scalp, caput succedaneum*
and severe molding** of head may be seen
Rigor mortis at delivery
Maceration
Spalding's sign***
Robert's sign****
Mummification
4. Cause Anoxia, prematurity, birth trauma or toxemia Congenital anomaly, ABO and Rh
incompatibility

11. ***The word "macerate" comes from the Latin "macero" meaning to soften by
soaking (in a liquid). In this the tissues are soften after death by soaking and by
enzymatic digestion, as occurs with a stillborn.
picture source Aggrawal 2016

12. Haase's rule : length
from crown to heel or
rump

13. (Internal Findings)
Determination of signs of live birth for infanticide
Hydrostatic test
Principle: specific gravity of lung
before respiration is 1040-1050
and becomes 940-950 after
respiration which is less than that
of water and makes the respired
lung to float.
 (Wredin's test):
Absence of
gelatinous
embryonic
connective tissue
which was present
during fetal life and
presence of air in
middle ear is seen
after live birth
Breslau's second life test or stomach bowel test
Meconium : 24 hours

14. Postmortem Examination (External Findings)
Determination of signs of live birth for infanticide
Picture source : Google image
Vernix caseosa
Colour of skin Time since
birth
Bright red Just born
Darker 2-3 days
Brick red to yellow to
normal
1 week

15. Changes in umbilical cord: The presence of marks of
crushing by artery forceps, clean-cut margins and
ligature—suggestive of live birth.
Determination of signs of live birth for infanticide
Changes observed in Umbilical cord Time since
birth
Drying up of cut margin 2hours
Drying up of cord 1 day
Inflammatory line at the base of stump 2 days
Obliteration and mummification changes 3 days
Detach (falls off) 5-6 days
Complete healing (scar) 10-12 days
Picture source : Google image

17. Suggested readings:
Aggrawal, A. (2016). Forensic Medicine and Toxicology for MBBS. Avichal Publication Company, 325

18. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA