TOD Flashcards
(14 cards)
forensics
use of science to investigate criminal activities
why is determining TOD important in forensic science
can provide information about the circumstances under which someone has died
which factors must be established to estimate tod
-degree of muscle contraction
-extent of decomposition
-stage of succession
-forensic entomology
-body temp
-degree
degree of muscle contraction/rigor mortis
stage of succession of dead body above ground
immediately after death
bacteria found on the body
minutes to hours after death/ as tissues begin decomposing
ideal conditions for flies to lay eggs and their larvae hatch 24 hours after this
once soft tissue consumed by larvae
ideal conditions for beetles to establish
when do flies leave the body
once tissue dries out flies will leave as they prefer a moisture-rich environment
do beetles stay on the body?
beetles can decompose dry tissue so will stay on the body until all tissues have been decomposed
forensic entomology
study of insect colonies on dead bodies
when are flies found on dead bodies
a few minutes after death
when are maggots found after death
larvae take 24 hours to hatch so if larvae are present body must have been dead at least 24 hours for flies to have laid eggs
what factors may affect the progression of insect life cycles on a dead body
-temp
-humidity
-drugs present in the body
-oxygen availability, affects enzymes involved in digestion reactions in flies
