A woman is found dead suspended by a broad, soft dupatta tied to a ceiling fan. Autopsy confirms asphyxial death. Which appearance of the neck is EXPECTED at autopsy?
- A A faint, wide, congested band without parchmentisation or a sharply defined groove ✓
- B A deep, parchmentised, oblique furrow with sharp margins
- C Horizontal continuous abrasion encircling the entire neck at thyroid level
- D No external neck finding at all in any case of soft ligature hanging
Correct answer: A. A faint, wide, congested band without parchmentisation or a sharply defined groove
Explanation
B soft, broad ligature such as a dupatta, towel or stocking distributes the suspending pressure over a wide area of skin, so it produces only a faint reddish congested band rather than a pale, parchmentised, sharply cut furrow. The classic deep grooved mark belongs to thin, hard ligatures like rope or wire. Option C describes the horizontal continuous mark of ligature strangulation, and option D is false because some mark or congestion is still usually present with a soft ligature.
Reference: Knight's Forensic Pathology, 4th ed.
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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.