An Interesting Case of Accidental Smothering in an Unusual Place

Smothering is an asphyxial death which occurs from the mechanical occlusion of the external respiratory orifices and is generally considered to be homicidal, but care should also be taken to prevent the misdiagnosis of homicidal smothering. Accidental smothering occurs when a person accidentally falls into a large quantity of semisolid or finely divided material which may pass down in the respiratory passages. We report of case of a female child whose death was suspected to be a case of homicidal smothering but later after crime scene visit and corroborating the autopsy findings with the detailed investigation, the child was found to be accidentally smothered. The authors want to emphasize the importance of correlating and interpreting the autopsy findings with the history, examination of scene of crime, circumstantial evidence and investigative findings, so as to lead the death investigation to reach a logical conclusion.