Forensic aspects of unnatural death in children

Abstract

Objective : This study is a review of the causes of unnatural death among children for future prevention, statistics and medico-legal benefit.

Setting : Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok

Study design : Descriptive study.

Subjects and Methods : One hundred and one autopsy reports of unnatural death in children under 15 years old from 2001 to 2007 by forensic pathologists of the Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok.

Results : Sixty-eight were male and 33 were female. The most common age is ranged from 1 to 3 years old. Accident, especially traffic accident, was the most common cause of unnatural death in children followed by drowning and fall from height, while homicide, suicide and death by animal attack were rare.

Conclusions : Most of the autopsy reports in unnatural death in children were kindergarten, male more than female. The major cause of death is accident, especially traffic accident which could have be prevented by their own guardian parents