Forensic Sci Med Pathol (2013) 9:449–451 DOI 10.1007/s12024-013-9415-9
IMAGES IN FORENSICS
Death due to crushing by an elephant trunk Jane Vuletic • Roger W. Byard
Accepted: 5 February 2013 / Published online: 23 March 2013 Ó Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013
Case report A 49-year-old female veterinarian was in a zoo enclosure with a female ex-circus African elephant that she had been working with for 2.5 years. The elephant, which was 39 years old, weighed 3,700 kg, and stood approximately 3.4 m tall, had become agitated following a probable shock from an electric fence [1]. According to the findings of the coronial inquest the elephant began advancing toward the veterinarian, causing her to trip and fall over. The elephant dragged her by the leg, picked her up by wrapping its trunk ‘‘gently’’ around her torso and then held her above the ground for some time, walking about 4–5 m. During this time the victim was still moving and talking. Witnesses then described the elephant kneeling, after the decedent had asked to be put down; during this time the elephant had rocked her head from side to side while still holding the victim in her trunk [1]. After release the victim was unable to be resuscitated. Due to the nature of these events the case was reported to the coroner’s office however at the request of the family only an external examination with imaging was performed. Examination of the body showed a well nourished adult female weighing 74 kg and measuring 163 cm in length. There were small numbers of conjunctival petechiae with extensive bruising of the torso with parchmented yellow J. Vuletic Department of Forensic Medicine, Royal Newcastle Hospital, Newcastle, NSW, Australia R. W. Byard (&) Discipline of Anatomy and Pathology, Level 3 Medical School North Building, The University of Adelaide, Frome Road, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia e-mail:
[email protected]
abrasions extending from below the ribs on the anterior surface to the suprapubic area. Transverse brush abrasions were present on the right flank extending posteriorly (Fig. 1). Bruises were present on both hips and left leg. The right leg was externally rotated and shortened. Radiographs of the chest showed multiple bilateral rib fractures, many of which were comminuted (Fig. 2), with no fractures of the clavicles, thoracic spine, or scapulae. Radiographs of the abdomen and pelvis showed bilateral comminuted fractures of the inferior and superior pubi rami with significant displacement of fracture fragments. There was also fracture-dislocation of the right sacroiliac joint (Fig. 3). Death was, therefore, attributed to the effects of internal hemorrhage and a flail chest from crushing. The presence of conjunctival petechiae was also in keeping with chest compression.
Discussion Deaths due to animal actions/attacks can be associated with a wide range of mechanisms that most commonly involve blunt trauma from falls or crushing, or sharp force trauma from carnivore bites. The latter most often involves dog attacks, with young children being particularly susceptible [2]. Other lethal events that occur from interactions with animals are envenomation, poisoning, anaphylaxis, asphyxiation, and infection [3, 4]. Blunt force injuries most often follow being kicked or butted by large farm animals such as cows and horses. Such cases usually present with significant head or chest injury and are associated with particular occupations or activities, for example farm workers, veterinarians, cowboys and rodeo riders, animal caretakers, and hunters. In Australia
123
450
Fig. 1 Extensive bruising of the right hip with brush abrasions of the flank consistent with the history of being dragged by the leg across the floor of the elephant enclosure
Fig. 2 X-ray of the chest demonstrating multiple bilateral rib fractures compatible with a severe crush injury
Fig. 3 X-ray of the upper femurs and pelvis showing intact long bones with major comminuted fractures of the pubic bones bilaterally with fracture–dislocation of the right sacroiliac joint
123
Forensic Sci Med Pathol (2013) 9:449–451
deaths due to animal activity accounted for 7.1 % of fatalities in the agricultural industry from 2001 to 2004 [2]. Crushing deaths, as occurred in the reported case, may involve a combination of organ and soft tissue injury as well as asphyxia and are often characterized by patterned markings on the skin. Facial plethora, with petechiae and bleeding from the nose and ears, may also be found [5]. Zoo keepers, farm and abattoir workers, and veterinarians are most at risk of these types of injuries, although they may also occur in the commercial fishing industry when large fish are being handled on deck or in the holds of vessels [6]. Lethal crushing may be accompanied by trampling. An unusual case in an infant involved being compressed by a python [7]. Deaths due to elephant attacks have been rarely reported in the literature and have generally involved crushing from sitting on the victim, trampling, or goring with tusks [8–10]. Elephants may attack if startled, threatened, or injured, or when protecting their calves, and may reach speeds of up to 40 km/h during a charge [11]. Bull elephants also become extremely unpredictable and aggressive during periods of musth when serum testosterone levels become markedly elevated. This occurs annually and lasts for approximately 1 month [9]. Elephants do not respond well to loud noises, a problem allegedly encountered by Hannibal when he introduced war elephants to the battlefield [11]. A threatened or frightened elephant may attack with its tusks causing severe penetrating wounds which may be compounded by tossing the victim [10]. Lethal crushing injuries involve mainly the head and chest. In an attack an elephant may first seize a victim with its trunk [9]. Compression of either the chest or neck by an elephant’s trunk may be sufficient to cause lethal asphyxia [12]. In the reported case some of the crushing injuries may have occurred when the decedent was encircled by the trunk and lifted, or more likely when the elephant kneeled. It may be that some of the actions of the elephant were initiated by the previous circus training, rather than being manifestations of an attack, as witnesses commented that the elephant appeared protective of the victim Given the clear description of the circumstances of death by witnesses and information obtained from the post-mortem radiographic studies an autopsy examination was not performed. In a more recent case in Australia a 40-year-old female zookeeper suffered severe but non-lethal chest injuries when she was crushed between a 1034 kg male calf and a bollard during a daily training session [13]. The reasons for this attack were not clear. Deaths may also occur in areas where elephants are found in the wild, as well as in countries where the animals are captive in circuses or zoos. For example, approximately
Forensic Sci Med Pathol (2013) 9:449–451
300 deaths occur annually in India from wild elephant attacks, predominantly in rural areas [9]. In contrast, a study of animal-related occupational deaths in the United States from 1992 to 1997 revealed only five cases where individuals died from injuries sustained from captive elephant attacks, out of a total of 350 animal-related deaths (1.4 %) [14]. Captive or wild elephants may attack if suffering from an illness and may be unpredictable during veterinary examination and/or treatment [10]. An attack on a tourist in South Arica was believed to have been precipitated by a dental abscess in a young bull elephant [11]. Animal attacks can produce a wide range of lethal injuries that may be confused with inflicted trauma from a homicide if the incident is not witnessed. For example, cases have been described where blunt trauma from an attack by a ram was thought to be suspicious [15], and paired wounds from dog canine teeth have been incorrectly attributed to wounds inflicted by scissors [16]. On occasion, tissue damage caused by post-mortem animal feeding may also raise suspicions of inflicted injury [17]. Careful documentation of external injuries is, therefore, required in all cases of animal attack to provide information that may either reveal, or add support to, the circumstances of the fatal incident. In the reported case, conjunctival petechiae were in keeping with crush asphyxia, with skin parchmenting and brush abrasions consistent with the described episode, the latter possibly occurring when the victim was dragged by the leg. The danger of large animal handling in zoos is clearly demonstrated by this case and also by the later incident in Taronga Park Zoo [13]. Whether large animal’s actions result from agitation or a genuine desire to attack may not be determinable, however, size disparity renders humans particularly vulnerable in this type of close animal interaction. Acknowledgments The authors would like to sincerely thank the family of the decedent, the New Zealand Chief Coroner, the Investigating Coroner, Ms S. Herdson, and the police for permission to publish details of this tragic case.
451
References 1. Herdson S. Inquiry into the death of Helen Erica Scofield, Coroners Court, Auckland New Zealand, CSU-2012-AUK-577. 2. Bury D, Langlois NEI, Byard RW. Animal-related fatalities Part I: characteristic autopsy findings and variable causes of death associated with blunt and sharp trauma. J Forensic Sci. 2012;57:370–4. 3. Bury D, Langlois NEI, Byard RW. Animal-related fatalities Part II: characteristic autopsy findings and variable causes of death associated with envenomation, poisoning, anaphylaxis, asphyxiation and sepsis. J Forensic Sci. 2012;57:375–80. 4. Stiegler D, Gilbert JD, Warner MS, Byard RW. Fatal dog bite in the absence of significant trauma—Capnocytophaga canimorsus infection and unexpected death. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2010;31:198–9. 5. Byard RW, Wick R, Simpson E, Gilbert JD. The pathological features and circumstances of death of lethal crush/traumatic asphyxia in adults—a 25-five year study. Forensic Sci Int. 2006; 159:200–5. 6. Byard RW. Commercial fishing industry deaths—forensic issues. J Forensic Leg Med. 2013;20(3):129–32. 7. McCarty VO, Cox RA, Haglund B. Death caused by a constricting snake—an infant death. J Forensic Sci. 1989;34:239–43. 8. Albrecht K, Breitmeier D, Fieguth A, Tro¨ger HD. Fatalities after injuries by wild animals. Arch Kriminol. 2002;212:96–103. 9. Das SK, Chattopadhyay S. Human fatalities from wild elephant attacks—a study of fourteen cases. J Forensic Leg Med. 2011; 18:154–7. 10. Hejna P, Za´topkova´ L, Sˇafr M. A fatal elephant attack. J Forensic Sci. 2012;57:267–9. 11. Durrheim DN, Leggat PA. Risk to tourists by wild mammals in South Africa. J Travel Med. 1999;6:172–9. 12. Begoian AG. Death from compression of the neck by an elephant’s trunk. Sud Med Ekspert. 1979;22:56–7. 13. Mr Shuffles crushes keeper at Taronga Zoo. The Australian. 19 October 2012. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/ person-injured-by-elephant-atSydney-zoo/story-e6frg6nf1226499288546. Accessed 1 January 2012. 14. Langley RL, Hunter JL. Occupational fatalities due to animalrelated events. Wilderness Environ Med. 2001;12:168–74. 15. Murray LA, Sivaloganathan S. Rambutt–the killer sheep. Med Sci Law. 1987;27:95–7. 16. Goudge ST. Inquiry into paediatric forensic pathology in Ontario: report, vol 2, p. 23, 2008. http://www.goudgeinquiry.ca. Accessed 12 May 2012. 17. Byard RW, Tsokos M. Forensic issues in cases of Diogenes syndrome. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2007;28:177–81.
123
