The identification and interpretation of bite-marks in a child abuse victim using photographs’ comparison - case report

A suspected case of child abuse was admitted to the Emergency Department but unfortunately she died during resuscitation. A police report was done by the attending doctors and post-mortem was carried out by the Forensic Pathologist. The cause of death was attributed to perforation of jejunum due to blunt force trauma to the abdomen. The parents denied abusing the child. Instead, they alleged the child had fallen from her bed. However, healing bite-marks on the right cheek were missed until the postmortem photographs were examined by the Police Investigating Officer a week later. By that time the body has been claimed and interred. Forensic Odontologist was informed to confirm the existence of the bite-marks. In this case report a method is presented whereby bite-marks identification and analysis was conducted using the photographs taken by the Forensic Pathologist and Police Photographer during post-mortem. The resulting toothmarks from the suspected person's mandibular and maxillary dentition matched with bite-marks found on the right cheek of the deceased child.