Blood at the death scene in a case of hanging raises suspicion relating to its causation, and the manner of death. A 69-year-old man committed suicide by hanging. Frank blood was present in a dribbling fashion on the legs and feet, and on the floor below the hanging body. On investigation by the police officers, blood at the death scene initially raised concern of a possible homicide followed by suspension of the dead body. A detailed death scene evaluation by the forensic pathologists, including a complete forensic autopsy coupled with a psychological autopsy determined the true nature of blood at the death scene as a post-mortem haemorrhoidal bleeding artifact. Only two cases of post-mortem haemorrhoidal bleeding artifact encountered in cases of suicide by hanging have been previously and recently reported. We report another additional case of suicide by hanging wherein the aforementioned unusual post-mortem artifact was encountered. A general awareness of artifactual postmortem bleeding through the anal orifice may avoid its misinterpretation.
Post-mortem artifact, Haemorrhoids, Hanging, Death scene
