1. Death

2. Read “Worms Crawl In” and answer the questions. Hand in your answers.
Objectives: Discover information that can be found about the time of death at a crime scene.
Do Now: Brainstorm some observations a forensic scientist can look for in order to determine the time of death of a victim.
Read “Worms Crawl In” and answer the questions. Hand in your answers.
Closure: How can insects be used to determine time of death?

3. Objectives: Differentiate between, meaning manner and cause of death
Do Now: What does “death” mean to you?

4. Meaning of Death End of life
Objectives: Differentiate between, meaning manner and cause of death
Meaning of Death
End of life
“irreversible cessation of circulation of blood”
Brain activity stopped

5. Forensic Pathologist Conducts autopsy (post-mortem)
Objectives: Differentiate between, meaning manner and cause of death
Forensic Pathologist
Conducts autopsy (post-mortem)
Medical doctor who conducts examination on deceased to determine manner and cause of death
Medical examiner (M.E.), coroner

6. Manner of Death: Means by which they died Natural Accidental Suicidal
Objectives: Differentiate between, meaning manner and cause of death
Manner of Death: Means by which they died
Natural
Accidental
Suicidal
Homicidal
Undetermined

7. Cause of Death: Reason they died
Objectives: Differentiate between, meaning manner and cause of death
Cause of Death: Reason they died
Ex. Natural
Ex. Homicide/Suicide
Heart attack
Stroke
Respiratory failure
Hanging
Drowning
Asphyxiation
Poison

8. Objectives: Differentiate between, meaning manner and cause of death
Gunshot wound
Stippling (powder burns) indicating gun was a few inches away
Starring indicating barrel touching skin

9. Objectives: Differentiate between, meaning manner and cause of death
Strangulation
Petechial hemorrhage as a result of strangulation

10. Objectives: Differentiate between, meaning manner and cause of death
Mechanism of death: is the specific change in the body that brought about the end of life
Cause Mechanism
Shooting Loss of blood

11. Complete the death scenario reading and activity.
Objectives: Differentiate between, meaning manner and cause of death
Complete the death scenario reading and activity.
Closure: What manner of death would be the least helpful in solving a case?

12. Do Now: What is rigor mortis?
Objectives: Determine time of death using rigor mortis
Do Now: What is rigor mortis?

13. Time of Death: When they died
Objectives: Determine time of death using rigor mortis
Time of Death: When they died
Examples:
Livor Mortis
Rigor Mortis
Algor Mortis
Stomach and intestinal contents
Changes of the eye
Stages of decomposition
Insects (forensic entomology)

14. Livor Mortis: pooling of blood in tissues after death (lividity)
Objectives: Determine time of death using rigor mortis
Livor Mortis: pooling of blood in tissues after death (lividity)
Can determine if body was moved
Begins 1-2 hrs. after death
2-8 hrs.: color disappears when skin is pressed
>8 hrs.: permanent discoloration

15. Objectives: Determine time of death using rigor mortis

16. Factors affecting Livor Mortis Hot day/area– blood pools faster
Objectives: Determine time of death using rigor mortis
Factors affecting Livor Mortis
Hot day/area– blood pools faster
Cool day/area: slower process

17. Rigor Mortis: stiffening of skeletal muscles after death
Objectives: Determine time of death using rigor mortis
Rigor Mortis: stiffening of skeletal muscles after death
Cause: no oxygen to cells  calcium buildup  muscle fibers remain contracted
Starts 1-2 hrs. after death
Starts at head  legs
12 hrs: most rigid
Stiffness disappears after hrs.

18. Objectives: Determine time of death using rigor mortis

19. Factors affecting rigor mortis:
Objectives: Determine time of death using rigor mortis
Factors affecting rigor mortis:
Ambient temperature
Person’s weight
Type of clothing
Illness
Level of physical activity shortly before death
Sun exposure

20. Complete time of death using rigor mortis lab.
Objectives: Determine time of death using rigor mortis
Complete time of death using rigor mortis lab.
Closure: Explain the difference between livor mortis and rigor mortis.

21. Do Now: What can temperature of a body tell you the time of death?
Objectives: Determine time of death using algor mortis
Do Now: What can temperature of a body tell you the time of death?
Finish your rigor mortis worksheet and hand it in. You have 20 minutes.

22. Algor Mortis: cooling of body after death
Objectives: Determine time of death using algor and rigor mortis
Algor Mortis: cooling of body after death
Temperature loss in a corpse
Thermometer inserted in liver
1 hr. after death: cools 1.4°F per hour
After 1st 12 hrs: cools 0.7°F per hour until it reaches surrounding temp.

23. Factors affecting algor mortis:
Objectives: Determine time of death using algor and rigor mortis
Factors affecting algor mortis:
Cooler environment – lose heat faster
Windy – fast heat loss
Excess body fat – slows heat loss
Clothing – slows heat loss
Rule of thumb: 1°F per hour

24. Stomach and Intestinal Contents
Objectives: Determine time of death using algor and rigor mortis
Stomach and Intestinal Contents
0-2 hours after last meal: undigested stomach contents present
4-6 hours after meal: stomach empty, food in S.I.
12+ hours after meal: S.I. empty, wastes in L.I.

25. Objectives: Determine time of death using algor and rigor mortis

26. Eye after death Thin film on eye surface: 2-3 hours (eyes open)
Objectives: Determine time of death using algor and rigor mortis
Eye after death
Thin film on eye surface:
2-3 hours (eyes open)
24 hours (eyes closed)

27. Start determining time of death using Algor mortis lab
Objectives: Determine time of death using rigor and algor mortis
Start determining time of death using Algor mortis lab
Closure: Why is this lab just “estimating” time of death? (Why is it hard to pinpoint a specific TOD using algor mortis?)

28. Finish the Algor Mortis lab and hand it in.
Objectives: Determine time of death using algor mortis
Do Now: How many degrees Fahrenheit are lost from a dead body every hour for the first 12 hours?
Finish the Algor Mortis lab and hand it in.
Closure: Why does the rate of heat loss decrease after the first 12 hours?

29. Objectives: Determine time of death using insects (etymology)
Do Now: What is entymology? (Hint: entomon is Greek for insect)

30. Forensic Entymology: study of insects in criminal investigations
Objectives: Determine time of death using insects (etymology)
Forensic Entymology: study of insects in criminal investigations
Flies and maggots also provide an approximate time of death, very useful for cases where the body has been long dead.
Only certain insects will feed and lay eggs on a dead corpse and forensic entomologists study these insects, their larvae cycles and thereafter can determine whether a body has been dead for just one day or up to 3 or 4 weeks.

31. Time Physical Appearance of Body Insects Present at that Stage
0-3 days
Proteins and carbohydrates in the Blowflies e.g. Bluebottle flies, Syrphidae flies deceased body begin to break down days
Body is starting to decay and causes the Fly larvae and beetle e.g. Rove Beetles abdomen to inflate because of the gases inside.
8-18 days
Decay is well and truly setting in; the Ants, cockroaches, beetles and flies
abdomen wall begins to break down days
The decaying body enters a stage know Beetles and mites e.g. Springtail beetle, Acari, as 'post-decay'; in wet, humid conditions, Nematocera (present only during the winter months), the body is sticky and wet; in hot dry Brachycera conditions, the body is dried out .
31 and over days The bones, skin and hair that remain no longer give off a powerful stench and smell just like the soil surrounding it.

32. Stages of Decomposition
Objectives: Determine time of death using insects (etymology)
Stages of Decomposition
0-2 Days:
Green, purplish stains
Skin: marbled appearance
Face discolored
Flies lay eggs on corpse

33. Abdomen swells (CO2 gas released by bacteria in intestines)
Objectives: Determine time of death using insects (etymology)
4 Days:
Skin blisters
Abdomen swells (CO2 gas released by bacteria in intestines)
Maggots on corpse

34. Corpse bloats with CO2, chest and abdomen burst and collapse
Objectives: Determine time of death using insects (etymology)
6-10 Days:
Corpse bloats with CO2, chest and abdomen burst and collapse
Fluids leaks from body openings
Eyeballs and other tissues liquify
Skin sloughs off
More eggs, maggots, flies, beetles

35. 50-365 Days: 10-20 Days: Bloated body collapses
Objectives: Determine time of death using insects (etymology)
10-20 Days:
Bloated body collapses
Flattened body, creamy flesh
Strong smell of decay
Fluids drain and seep
Days:
Body dry; decays slowly
Hair disappears, leaving bones

36. Time lapse video of pig decaying
Objectives: Determine time of death using insects (etymology)
Time lapse video of pig decaying
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37. Objectives: Determine time of death using insects (etymology)
Complete the insects reading
Closure: A body is found at the end stages of bloating. His skin is milky and there is a distinct odor of rotting flesh. Estimate how long the body has been there.

38. Do now: What does a forensic pathologist do?
Objectives: Determine time of death using algor mortis, rigor mortis, livor mortis, and insects.
Do now: What does a forensic pathologist do?
Look over the autopsy and answer the following questions. Hand it in.
Closure: Is it possible that a person has no signs of rigor mortis but the insects found inside include eggs, larve, and pupa?

39. Objectives: Determine time of death using algor mortis, rigor mortis, livor mortis, and insects.
Do now: which of the factors used to determine TOD do you think is the least accurate? Why?

40. Objectives: Determine time of death using algor mortis, rigor mortis, livor mortis, and insects.
Complete the “How did she die” lab and hand it in.
Recall food travels from the stomach  small intestine  large intestine.
ATP is the cells energy used to contract and relax muscles.
Normal body temperature 37C. Body heat stays at that temperature due to the circulatory system.
Closure: Why is it essential to test all 4 factors to determine the time of death?

41. Finish “When did she die” and hand it in.
Objectives: Determine time of death using algor mortis, rigor mortis, livor mortis, and insects.
Do now: Name three things that can slow down the rate of decomposition of a body.
Finish “When did she die” and hand it in.
Complete the estimating time of death worksheet and hand it in.
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Closure: Where is the temperature taken from in a dead body? (What body part?)

42. Objectives: Determine time of death using algor mortis, rigor mortis, livor mortis, and insects.
Do Now: What do pathologists look for in the external autopsy?
Watch the video and tell me :
three ways corpses are used
Why type of body parts can be transplanted?
Would you donate your body to science and why?
Closure: Name some body systems examined in the internal autopsy.

43. Do Now: What concepts from DNA or TOD do you need help on?
Objectives: Determine time of death using algor mortis, rigor mortis, livor mortis, and insects. Review DNA
Do Now: What concepts from DNA or TOD do you need help on?
Complete the Unit 1 and 2 review worksheet.
Closure: What concept(s) do you still have to study the most for tomorrow’s exam?

44. Objectives: Determine time of death using insects.
Do Now: What insect is the first to inhabit a cadaver?
Start the entymology (insects) lab. Try to get all measurements done today. We can take time for the questions tomorrow.
Closure: How can the size of an insect tell you an approximate TOD?

45. Objectives: Determine time of death using insects.
Do Now: Why can various sizes of the same insect be found in the body?
Complete the entymology (insects) lab and hand in.
Start test corrections and hand in by tomorrow.
Closure: How did you prepare for this test and will you prepare more in the future? If so, what will you do to prepare?

46. Objectives: Investigate the uses of autopsies.
Do Now: Why do pathologist perform autopsies?
Watch the video and summarize some of his strange cases.
Closure: What was the most interesting autopsy he told you about?
Hand in your video answers and your do now sheets.