Investigating Infant Deaths

by Bobbi Jo O'Neal

Overview

Many forensic pathologists and death investigators would agree that infant deaths have historically been poorly investigated. Investigating Infant Deaths provides an in-depth guide featuring 40 case examples that illustrates real-life scenarios in which techniques are put into action. It explains techniques for interviewing grieving parents, how to perform an initial post-mortem exam, what to look for at the incident scene, and the goals of state and local child fatality teams. It also presents suggestions for using doll re-enactments to interview surviving caregivers and witnesses as well as 44 pictures of scenes and unsafe environments.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781040080573
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	05/07/2007
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	7 MB

Table of Contents

Investigating Infant Deaths: Why Is It Important?, Maternal and Infant Health: What Investigators Should Know, The Investigation Begins: Timing Is Everything, First Responders: Their Observations Are Important, Initial Postmortem External Assessment, Infant Death Scene Investigation: It Tells a Story, The Art of Interviewing, Doll Reenactment with Scene Walk-Through, The Forensic Autopsy: The Investigator‘s Role, Records Review: Let the Records Speak, Child Death Review: It Brings It All Together, Family or Caregiver Follow-Up and Referral, Where Do We Go from Here?, Index

Editorial Reviews

In this book, B. O’Neal, a registered nurse and board certified medicolegal death investigator with the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators, gives an extensive overview on the investigation of infant deaths including epidemiological background, the significance of the emergency helpers, the initial post-mortem external assessment, the death scene investigation, the parental interview, the forensic autopsy, the analysis of the medical history, the case conference and the family or caregiver follow-up.
“The book shows that the author has an extended knowledge in this field and, moreover, a long-standing experience in doing such investigations. The book integrates different resources, refers the situation in the US, and reflects the relevant literature in this field. It is an excellent guideline for performing death investigations in infants. Besides the general overview, a number of special problems/tasks are discussed in great detail and always from a practical point of view. However, good experiences from outside the US, for example from projects in Australia or Norway, are not referred.
“In summary, the book gives an excellent overview on all the relevant questions and problems in relation to the investigation of infant deaths and can be used as guideline for practical casework. It can be recommended without any limitation for specialists in legal medicine and specialists from other fields involved in the investigation of these deaths. “
— T. Bajanowski, Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, in the International Journal of Legal Medicine (2008) 122:267

"Anyone who participates in the investigation of infant death, or who may find themselves involved in infant medical resuscitation attempts, will find conceptual and practical guidance for what is often a daunting task."

—Jennifer R. Schindell, Deputy Medical Examiner / Forensic Nurse, Linn and Benton Counties, Corvallis, Oregon, writing in Journal of the International Association of Forensic Nurses

From the Publisher