Forensic Pathology Report
Group Member #1: Francisco Urteaga
Group Member #2: Sofia Nelson
Case File: HTH-12c
I. Cause of Death
We started by the wrong path. We read the crime scene and immediately jumped to conclusions and though that a homeless guy was part of the crime scene. We didn’t pay much attention to what was actually happening inside the decedent’s body, or what had happened before. (that is, his medical history) We then realized that the fact that there was a probability that someone else was present during the crime scene was actually not enough evidence to cause a death.
After this moment of realization, we carefully read all the examinations again and things started making sense. His smoking and drinking history was totally accurate with his problems he was diagnosed with and internal and external conditions after being examined.
There were two problems we were most focused in: atherosclerosis and hypertension and his bad lungs condition. The first option seemed more reasonable to provoke an instant death. Plus, heart attacks are mainly caused by the conditions this man had.
Something that we noticed from the crime scene that could be connected to the mechanism of his death (heart attack) is that he was found face down with his arms bent under his chest meaning that he was probably covering his chest with his hands as he had the heart attack.
Overall, the information we gathered seems to make sense together and maybe there was another individual in presence of his death, but the death was definitely natural.
V. References -
VOCABULARY
Atherosclerotic-when cholesterol and fat builds up on the arterial walls forming plaque.
Atherosclerotic. In Dictionary.com, Retrieved September,18,2014. From http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Atherosclerotic?s=t
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy-Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a disease in which the heart muscle becomes very thick. This can make it harder for the heart to pump blood.
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved September, 18, 2014. From http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy/basics/definition/con-20030747
hypertension - High blood pressure.
Mayo Clinic Staff, “High Blood Pressure (hypertension), mayoclinic.org
http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/blood-pressure-causes
hyperphosphatemia - high phosphate levels, low calcium.
Lederer, Eleanor (Jan, 2014), ‘Hyperphosphatemia”, medscape.com
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:NR6sc-GtqpMJ:emedicine.medscape.com/article/241185-overview+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
hypokalemia - not enough potassium in blood.
Mayo Clinic Staff, “Low potassium (hypokalemia)”, mayoclinic.org
http://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/low-potassium/basics/definition/sym-20050632
Other References:
Webmd.com, “Causes of High Blood Pressure”,
http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/blood-pressure-causes
Group Member #1: Francisco Urteaga
Group Member #2: Sofia Nelson
Case File: HTH-12c
I. Cause of Death
- What was the cause of death?
- Cigarette and Alcohol Abuse (Has been treated at Hospital for conditions related to these). Also, he was diagnosed with alcohol dependence and alcoholic liver disease.
- November 22, 2010 was diagnosed of sepsis, pneumonia, acute renal failure (due to acute tubular necrosis), hyperphosphatemia (high phosphate levels, low calcium), hypokalemia (not enough potassium in blood), obesity and anemia.
- Atherosclerotic and hypertension.
- Didn’t use prescribed medications (Calcium, carbonate,folic acid, multivitamin, thiamin and potassium chloride)
- What pieces of evidence (from the report or the internet) do you have?
- He had a story of constant drinking and smoking.
- Had edema in his lungs. Which means they were swell from smoking.
- Atherosclerotic and hypertension, with the veins thicker it was harder for his heart to receive the correct amount of blood needed.
- Had bilateral mild lung adhesions
- The right lung weighed 500 grams more than the left on.
- What was the mechanism of death?
- Heart attack
- What pieces of evidence (from the report or the internet) do you have?
- The decedent had been diagnosed with atherosclerosis and hypertension.
- He had high blood pressure (hypertension) because of the atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries),
- Hypertension is caused by smoking, alcohol abuse and being overweight or obese, which he was.
- Atherosclerosis occurs when fat, cholesterol and other substances build up on the walls of the arteries, forming plaques.
- What was the manner of death?
- Natural
- What pieces of evidence (from the report or the internet) do you have?
- In the crime scene there was small evidence of someone else being there during his death and there were small smears of blood on a Jersey barrier, but still the body had no sign of being touched, modified or influenced by another individual, except maybe someone taking his wallet.
- He had no external injuries.
- He had enough diseases and problems to cause a natural death.
We started by the wrong path. We read the crime scene and immediately jumped to conclusions and though that a homeless guy was part of the crime scene. We didn’t pay much attention to what was actually happening inside the decedent’s body, or what had happened before. (that is, his medical history) We then realized that the fact that there was a probability that someone else was present during the crime scene was actually not enough evidence to cause a death.
After this moment of realization, we carefully read all the examinations again and things started making sense. His smoking and drinking history was totally accurate with his problems he was diagnosed with and internal and external conditions after being examined.
There were two problems we were most focused in: atherosclerosis and hypertension and his bad lungs condition. The first option seemed more reasonable to provoke an instant death. Plus, heart attacks are mainly caused by the conditions this man had.
Something that we noticed from the crime scene that could be connected to the mechanism of his death (heart attack) is that he was found face down with his arms bent under his chest meaning that he was probably covering his chest with his hands as he had the heart attack.
Overall, the information we gathered seems to make sense together and maybe there was another individual in presence of his death, but the death was definitely natural.
V. References -
VOCABULARY
Atherosclerotic-when cholesterol and fat builds up on the arterial walls forming plaque.
Atherosclerotic. In Dictionary.com, Retrieved September,18,2014. From http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Atherosclerotic?s=t
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy-Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a disease in which the heart muscle becomes very thick. This can make it harder for the heart to pump blood.
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved September, 18, 2014. From http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy/basics/definition/con-20030747
hypertension - High blood pressure.
Mayo Clinic Staff, “High Blood Pressure (hypertension), mayoclinic.org
http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/blood-pressure-causes
hyperphosphatemia - high phosphate levels, low calcium.
Lederer, Eleanor (Jan, 2014), ‘Hyperphosphatemia”, medscape.com
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:NR6sc-GtqpMJ:emedicine.medscape.com/article/241185-overview+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
hypokalemia - not enough potassium in blood.
Mayo Clinic Staff, “Low potassium (hypokalemia)”, mayoclinic.org
http://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/low-potassium/basics/definition/sym-20050632
Other References:
Webmd.com, “Causes of High Blood Pressure”,
http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/blood-pressure-causes