Rom J Leg Med [22] 225-228 [2014]

DOI: 10.4323/rjlm.2014.225
© 2014 Romanian Society of Legal Medicine 

A case of complex mechanical asphyxia due to physical restraint and gagging

in an obese man

Jiao Mu1,2, Shaohua Zhu1, Lan Zhou3, Luo Zhuo4, Ananda Sunnassee5, Hongmei Dong1,*

_________________________________________________________________________________________
Abstract: Death from positional asphyxia by physical restraint takes place when the abnormal position of the victim’s
body compromises the process of respiration. Dying in a supine restraint position is rare. The term ‘‘gagging’’ describes the
blockage of the internal airways by ramming certain objects into the mouth. Here, we report the case of a 47-year-old obese
man who had been kidnapped and was found dead in a supine position with limbs bound together in the back and the mouth
gagged with stick. Apart from a very low level of the drug estazolam, and mild trauma on the body surface, autopsy findings
were unremarkable. There were no injuries or pathological findings to account for his death. The cause of death was certified as
mechanical asphyxia following gagging and restraint in a supine position. The victim’s obesity is a co-factor in hastening his death.
Key Words: forensic science, forensic pathology, positional asphyxia, gagging, obesity, forensic autopsy.

T he term ‘‘physical restraint’’ in the medical

and legal settings describes a fixed body
position caused by the use of certain external devices, for
reports about positional asphyxia in reverse suspension,
head-down position, hyperflexion of the neck, and a
‘jack-knife’ position [1]. However, death due to positional
example, during custody of prisoners or transportation asphyxia in a restraint supine body position is a rarely
of agitated psychiatric patients. Deaths occurring during reported. The term ‘‘gagging’’ describes the blockage of
and/or in close proximity to a physical restraint have been the internal airways by ramming certain objects into the
attributed to positional asphyxia. Positional asphyxia mouth, which may be accidental or homicidal. The gags
refers to a compromise of respiration because of splinting are usually soft rather than hard objects. Here, we report
of the chest and/or diaphragm preventing normal a case of unusual complex mechanical asphyxia resulting
respiratory excursion, or occlusion of the upper airway from physical restraint in the supine position and gagging
due to abnormal positioning of the body. There are various with a stick in an obese man.

1) Department of Forensic Medicine, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Tongji Medical, College, No. 13
Hangkong Lu, Hankou, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, PR China
* Corresponding author: Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science
and Technology, 13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China, Tel. 86-18062128672, Fax: 86-27-83692638,
Email: 123730562@qq.com
2) Department of Forensic Medicine, Hebei North University, No. 11 Zuanshinan Road, Zhangjiakou , Hebei 075000, PR
China
3) Center of Forensic Science and Technology, Bureau of Public Security for Jiangsu province, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210024,
PR China
4) Fujian provincial Public Security Department, Fuzhou 350001, PR China
5) Ministry of Health and Quality of Life, Victoria Hospital, Mauritius

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Mu J. et al Death due to complex asphyxia

Case report hemorrhagic patches were seen on the undersurface of

the scalp, particularly on the right temporal (4.0 cm × 2.0
A 47-year -old male was found dead in a restraint cm) and left parietal areas (2.0 cm × 2.0 cm). The brain,
supine position in the corner of a deserted house (Fig. 1). weighing 1420 g, was congested and edematous, but had
Stockings were tied together around his forehead, and a no intracerebral bleeding and contusion. Few of scattered
black leather belt was wrapped around his head covering petechial hemorrhages were seen on the epicardium and
eyes and ears. A wooden stick, 30 cm long and 2 cm in tracheal mucosa. The combined lung weight was 838 g.
diameter, was located on his neck, with a rope winding The heart (weighed 340 g) revealed no macroscopic and
both ends (Fig. 2). An imprint around the mouth was microscopic abnormalities, including its coronaries,
present, which was consistent with the stick on the neck. valves, and blood vessels. The abdominal viscera were
The victim’s wrists were bound behind his back and his generally congested. There were no other remarkable
ankles were tied together. His knees were bent and his autopsy and histological findings.
hobbled ankles were tied together to his bound wrists by Toxicological result was positive for estazolam.
a rope (Fig. 3). The concentration of estazolam was 0.014 µg/g in the
The body was 165 cm long and weighed 90 kg blood, 0.044 µg/g in the liver tissue and 1.41µg/g in the
(BMI: 33.06 kg/m2). The distribution of livor mortis stomach contents.
was consistent with the position of the body at the The case was solved early. Police investigations
scene. The right eyebrow and inner canthus region had revealed that the victim had been kidnapped one day
fresh lacerations (2 cm in length). The right eyelid was before his death. The suspect confessed that he imposed
bruised. Few petechiae were seen in the conjunctiva. The the physical restraint on the victim to prevent his escape.
upper and lower lip mucosa had irregular abrasions and A stick was gagged in the victim’s mouth to silence him
contusions. The injuries corresponded to the belt, rope, (Fig. 4).When he found the victim dead, he removed the
stockings and the stick, which were used to tie up the stick from the mouth to the neck. The victim had been in
victims. The left parietal scalp had abrasions measuring good physical and mental condition apart from grade II
4.0 cm × 0.3 cm in greatest dimensions. Sporadic obesity. There was no pre-existing medical history.

Figure 1. Scene: the victim in a fixed supine body position. Figure 2. Scene: The silks socks and leather were tied around
his head and a wooden stick was located on his neck.

Figure 3. The physical restraint: his wrists tied together behind

his back and ankles bent together and secured to his wrists.
Figure 4. The face was extensively swollen. The mouth was
gagged with stick.

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Discussion as drug intoxication, excited delirium, trauma, stress,

obesity, or catecholamine hyperstimulation are more
Positional asphyxia usually exhibit non-specific important for sudden death from positional asphyxia [6].
autopsy findings, the following three criteria for the In this case, we focused on the possible co-factors and
diagnosis have been suggested: discovery of the deceased especially on obesity, since the victim had a protuberant
in a position inhibiting adequate respiration; reasonable abdomen and a BMI of 33.06.
explanation for inability of self-extrication from the Recently, some cases of positional asphyxia
position; and other causes of natural or violent death in obese man have been reported [1, 7-9]. Previous
must be excluded [2]. Referring to the current case, authors demonstrated that obesity significantly decreases
no disease or injury was responsible for the death, and respiratory system compliance and increases inspiratory
moreover, the toxicological result was negative except resistance and the work of breathing in anesthetized
extremely low level of estazolam which is far from the patients [10, 11]. Recent experiments confirmed that
toxic levels (1000μg/L) and unlikely causing the man’s the obesity has significant effects of decreasing the
death. Without exception, the present case met the lung volumes, FRC and ERV and the main reason has
criteria of positional asphyxia. Thus, positional asphyxia been found to be inadequate pulmonary gas exchange
due to physical restraint was considered to have caused [12, 13]. Thus, obese persons may be at greater risk for
death. development of restrictive pulmonary function.
It is well known that the restrictive position, Importantly, with increasing BMI, an increase
such as prone, hobble, and head-down position, could in abdominal mass and intra-abdominal pressure is
lead to a restrictive pulmonary function pattern and even expected [14]. The consequence of increased intra-
death. In this case, the victim was in a hogtying supine abdominal pressure in a supine position not only causes
position, thus his shoulders were hyperextended. Reay impaired diaphragmatic movement, but also causes
et al. [3] suggested that hyperextension of the shoulders compression of the inferior vena cava and reduced venous
could seriously limit chest wall relaxation and expansion. blood return to the heart and subsequently an impaired
However, as of yet, the impact of supine restraint position cardiac output. This mechanism, the inferior vena cava
on pulmonary function is still ambiguous. The NICE syndrome, has been suggested as a cause of sudden death
Guideline Development Group thought there were during restraint [8].
dangers related to restraint in any position for prolonged For the cause of death, gagging should be
periods, including supine position. Chan et al. found considered in addition to positional asphyxia. It is
convincing differences in the effects of pulmonary noteworthy that, the victim’s mouth was gagged with
function in the restrained supine position. A statistically a stick, which can prevent communication, and also
significant reduction in FEV1 (forced expiratory volume potentially restrict breathing by mouth. Gasping for air
in 1 second), FVC (forced vital capacity), and MVV with a stick gagged in the mouth and lying in a hog-tying
(maximal voluntary ventilation) was found in the supine position, it is likely that the thick neck contributed
restrained supine position [4]. In the reexamination to the obstruction of the posterior pharynx at the base of
of custody restraint position and positional asphyxia, the tongue, leading to potential respiratory compromise.
Chan et al. asserted that Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) Thus, gagging must have contributed to the victim’s
changes consistent with a restrictive pattern were also asphyxia.
seen simply by placing subjects in a supine position [5].
Additionally, the current guidance within the National Conclusion
Health Service (NHS) states that all restrained positions
should be considered to present equal risk. According to In conclusion, after excluding death due to
these literatures, evidence that the supine position with disease, trauma and intoxication, mechanical asphyxia
hog-tying has an adverse effect on respiratory function due to physical restraint and gagging, exacerbated by
and contribute to the occurrence of asphyxial death is obesity, was determined as the cause of death. It is
unequivocal. stressed that the possible role of gagging and obesity must
However, despite the compromised pulmonary be taken into consideration when dealing with a similar
function, the restrictive position alone might not lead case of positional asphyxia.
to death. Some scientists have argued that factors such

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