Death due to toluene poisoning and plastic bag asphyxia: A case report

A man was found dead in his apartment with a blue plastic bag covering his head and face. Some patches of yellowish glue material sticked onto his face from the inner surface of the plastic bag. A visit to the scene of death revealed some pornographic paraphernalia and tyre tube's glue cans at the apartment. Postmortem examination revealed early sign of decomposition with congestion on the face and upper part of the chest. Some petecchiae were present on the face and upper part of the chest. Blood specimen contained 9.9 micrograms per ml of toluene. The liver, lung tissues, and yellowish sticky material contained toulene. The cause of death was given as toluene poisoning and plastic bag asphyxia.