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Investigating the current scope and potential of forensic entomology in decomposition cases at Salt River Mortuary, Cape Town, South Africa
Decomposition cases form a fraction of the medico-legal cases conducted at Salt River Mortuary (SRM). With prolonged time since death and increased decomposition, entomological evidence becomes increasingly important in the estimation of minimum post-mortem interval. Currently no standard protocol e...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | Eng |
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Department of Pathology
2024
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| _version_ | 1867613235185713152 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Laubscher, Tyrian |
| author2 | Mole, Calvin |
| author_browse | Laubscher, Tyrian Mole, Calvin |
| author_facet | Mole, Calvin Laubscher, Tyrian |
| author_sort | Laubscher, Tyrian |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Decomposition cases form a fraction of the medico-legal cases conducted at Salt River Mortuary (SRM). With prolonged time since death and increased decomposition, entomological evidence becomes increasingly important in the estimation of minimum post-mortem interval. Currently no standard protocol exists for the handling of entomological evidence by SRM personnel and there is a lack of information about the issues that may impact the handling of these death scenes and associated entomological evidence. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the current scope of cases involving entomological evidence at SRM. This was achieved by performing a six-year retrospective review of medico-legal cases performed at SRM from 2015 to 2020, and interviewing SRM personnel to gather data regarding attended scenes, methods and processes used on the scenes, and issues they may have faced. A total of 264 decomposition cases were examined at SRM in the six-year period, with 109 (41.3%) presenting with insect activity. Data about variables such as scene type, weather season, decomposition stage, burial or covering of remains, and open wounds were extracted from the case files. As expected, a greater proportion of cases presented with entomological evidence in the warmer summer and spring seasons compared to the cooler seasons, with no significant difference in the distribution between years (p=0.62). Insect activity was predominantly found in indoor cases, but this is not statistically significant (p=0.50). Most cases presenting with entomology activity were associated with early-stage decomposition. No association was observed between the presence of open wounds and insect activity. The interviews provided data that could not be extracted in the reviews, due to personal experience being provided by personnel. The primary themes emerging from the interviews were related to the insufficient training on the handling of entomological evidence, poor availability of resources for the handling of the entomological evidence, and scene dependent variables that differ between scenes and impacts how a scene is handled. This study identified areas that need improvement and provides a better understanding of entomological activity associated with decomposition cases. There is potential for the greater utility of forensic entomologists in medico-legal cases, and the implementation of a standardised entomological protocol along with proper training of personnel may improve medico-legal investigations of decomposition cases. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/39624 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | Eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:32:54.720Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| publishDateRange | 2024 |
| publishDateSort | 2024 |
| publisher | Department of Pathology |
| publisherStr | Department of Pathology |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/39624 Investigating the current scope and potential of forensic entomology in decomposition cases at Salt River Mortuary, Cape Town, South Africa Laubscher, Tyrian Mole, Calvin Pathology Decomposition cases form a fraction of the medico-legal cases conducted at Salt River Mortuary (SRM). With prolonged time since death and increased decomposition, entomological evidence becomes increasingly important in the estimation of minimum post-mortem interval. Currently no standard protocol exists for the handling of entomological evidence by SRM personnel and there is a lack of information about the issues that may impact the handling of these death scenes and associated entomological evidence. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the current scope of cases involving entomological evidence at SRM. This was achieved by performing a six-year retrospective review of medico-legal cases performed at SRM from 2015 to 2020, and interviewing SRM personnel to gather data regarding attended scenes, methods and processes used on the scenes, and issues they may have faced. A total of 264 decomposition cases were examined at SRM in the six-year period, with 109 (41.3%) presenting with insect activity. Data about variables such as scene type, weather season, decomposition stage, burial or covering of remains, and open wounds were extracted from the case files. As expected, a greater proportion of cases presented with entomological evidence in the warmer summer and spring seasons compared to the cooler seasons, with no significant difference in the distribution between years (p=0.62). Insect activity was predominantly found in indoor cases, but this is not statistically significant (p=0.50). Most cases presenting with entomology activity were associated with early-stage decomposition. No association was observed between the presence of open wounds and insect activity. The interviews provided data that could not be extracted in the reviews, due to personal experience being provided by personnel. The primary themes emerging from the interviews were related to the insufficient training on the handling of entomological evidence, poor availability of resources for the handling of the entomological evidence, and scene dependent variables that differ between scenes and impacts how a scene is handled. This study identified areas that need improvement and provides a better understanding of entomological activity associated with decomposition cases. There is potential for the greater utility of forensic entomologists in medico-legal cases, and the implementation of a standardised entomological protocol along with proper training of personnel may improve medico-legal investigations of decomposition cases. 2024-05-14T13:05:41Z 2024-05-14T13:05:41Z 2023 2024-05-07T13:32:42Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters MPhil http://hdl.handle.net/11427/39624 Eng application/pdf Department of Pathology Faculty of Health Sciences |
| spellingShingle | Pathology Laubscher, Tyrian Investigating the current scope and potential of forensic entomology in decomposition cases at Salt River Mortuary, Cape Town, South Africa |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Investigating the current scope and potential of forensic entomology in decomposition cases at Salt River Mortuary, Cape Town, South Africa |
| title_full | Investigating the current scope and potential of forensic entomology in decomposition cases at Salt River Mortuary, Cape Town, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the current scope and potential of forensic entomology in decomposition cases at Salt River Mortuary, Cape Town, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the current scope and potential of forensic entomology in decomposition cases at Salt River Mortuary, Cape Town, South Africa |
| title_short | Investigating the current scope and potential of forensic entomology in decomposition cases at Salt River Mortuary, Cape Town, South Africa |
| title_sort | investigating the current scope and potential of forensic entomology in decomposition cases at salt river mortuary cape town south africa |
| topic | Pathology |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/39624 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT laubschertyrian investigatingthecurrentscopeandpotentialofforensicentomologyindecompositioncasesatsaltrivermortuarycapetownsouthafrica |