At autopsy of a person who died in custody, the following injuries are found: bilateral conjunctival petechiae, bruising over the soles of the feet, parallel linear abrasions on the back, and no injuries on the face. The pattern of injuries is MOST consistent with:
- A Blunt force trauma in a road traffic accident
- B Deliberate torture with beating of soles (falanga), posterior beatings, and partial asphyxia ✓
- C Self-inflicted injuries mimicking assault
- D Fall from height with impact on back
Explanation
The constellation of findings is characteristic of deliberate torture: beating the soles of feet (falanga/bastinado) causes pain without visible external marks or with bruising of the soles; linear parallel abrasions on the back suggest repeated blows with a rod or whip; bilateral conjunctival petechiae suggest episodes of asphyxia (e.g., choking or positional asphyxia). The deliberate absence of facial injuries (to avoid visible evidence) is a recognized pattern in custodial torture. The Istanbul Protocol (Manual on Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture) provides the medico-legal framework for documenting such injuries. Road traffic accidents (A) and falls (D) produce a different injury distribution.
Reference: The Essentials of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (Narayan Reddy), 34th ed.
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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.