In an equivocal death investigation, a forensic psychiatrist reconstructs the deceased's mental state retrospectively using interviews with relatives, suicide notes, medical records and the scene findings. This procedure is called:

• A Narcoanalysis
• B Retrospective capacity assessment
• C Psychiatric autopsy ✓
• D Post-mortem profiling

Explanation

C psychiatric autopsy, also called psychological autopsy, is a structured retrospective reconstruction of the psychological state of a deceased person, chiefly to determine manner of death, especially whether it was suicide. It relies entirely on collateral sources since the subject cannot be interviewed. Narcoanalysis involves drug-induced interviewing of a living suspect, and post-mortem profiling is not a standard forensic psychiatry procedure.

Reference: Reddy's Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 34th ed.

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