Course Description

This course is unique to our other one-day program in that the focus is divided into two topics throughout the day. The morning session will focus on suicides and the equivocal death investigation, and the afternoon session will focus on the infant death scene and SIDS death. The course objectives are to illustrate through case review the key indicators at equivocal scenes which aid in defining the manner of death in cases where it is open to interpretation. Victimology will be the focus in equivocal death of adults as well as scene conditions and cause of death that are commonly associated with suicide as opposed to accidental death and homicide. The most commonly staged crime scenes are those where the suspects attempt to make the scene appear to be a suicide or an accidental scenario. Recognition of wound and injury patterns are also covered in detail to also include an equivocal diagnosis cutting chart used in equivocal cases where a sharp force weapon was the mechanism of death.

The afternoon session will focus on the infant death scene and the indicators and conditions focused on in cases of abuse and neglect. Many challenges are confronted by both patrol officers and investigators at the scenes of infant deaths. Many innocent looking scenes result in being ruled homicides, while equivocal death as well applies to almost every infant death scene. It has long been a well-known fact in medical science that neonates and infants do not die absent of reason or cause. Therefore, the death of any child should be regarded as sudden and unexpected and the protocol and responsibilities that apply to adult death scenes are applied to those of infants. Any member of law-enforcement who plays any role at the crime scene or investigation of a suicide scene, equivocal death or infant death should consider attending this one-day course. Coroners and medical examiner investigators also greatly benefit from the case reviews presented during training.

Course Topics Include

*Define equivocal death as related to manner of death through case reviews

*The various causes of death by definition and medicolegal examples of in jury recognition

*Define and discuss manner of death and the role of the medical examiner

*Review the scene factors and indicators the aid in defining manner of death from natural to undetermined

*Detailed reviews of suicide cases and the role of victimology

*Equivocal death scene checklist sheet

*The infant homicide scene and updates through the CDC on SIDS

*Define and illustrate cases recognizing the various categories of infant homicide from neonaticide to infanticide

*Recognize and define felony neglect and abuse in infants and young children through physical acts and acts of omission

*Medicolegal applications to infant death to review gentle homicide, angry impulsive homicide & battered baby syndrome