National Association of Medical Examiners Position Paper: Recommendations for the Postmortem Assessment of Suspected Head Trauma in Infants and Young Children

Abstract

The National Association of Medical Examiners convened a panel to create a position paper for recommendations for the investigation of infant deaths due to inflicted head trauma. The correct certification of both the cause and manner of death is dependent upon an evaluation of all available data including information derived from the investigation, scene, postmortem examination, and ancillary studies. This paper provides recommendations for the forensic pathologist on what constitutes the dataset to be produced during the postmortem examination of infants who have died of, or have apparently died of, inflicted head trauma. Specifically, this paper describes 1) procedures, 2) ancillary laboratory tests, and 3) forms of documentation that are important in the investigation of these deaths. The evaluation and documentation of such infant deaths involves the production of a detail oriented and thoroughly documented examination that is independently reviewable to support the multitude of inquiries that may follow from the public and the criminal justice system.