Suicide in children and adolescents: A case report of the possible suicide of a 7 year old girl and presentation of data from a forensic autopsy material in Norway

Abstract

Abstract The present paper reports a 7 year old girl’s death by hanging. The forensic investigation disclosed death most likely to be self-inflicted, either an act of suicide, subsidiary a case of accidental asphyxia from a child’s play. A review of forensic autopsy records from southeast Norway during the years 1984-2012 was performed. Totally 116 deaths among children and adolescents < 18 years of age were classified as either suicide or as “undetermined - suicide likely” subsequent to post-mortem examination. The most common suicidal methods were hanging (46%), the use of firearms (24%), jumping in front of a train (11%) and drug intake / intoxication (8%). Though rarely observed in children < 12 years of age, suicide is a common cause of sudden death in adolescents, and there is evidence that the extent of the problem is unceasing. The paper highlights the value of forensic medical examination and crime scene reenactment in the evaluation of the manner of death in obscure cases.