Unusual Body Posture After Death Leading to Signs of Strangulation

Abstract

This report concerns a case in which the decedent was found in a highly unusual posture, one resembling a yoga backbend pose. Several findings in this case pointed to death by strangulation, including facial congestion, extensive petechiae of the conjunctivae and mucosal membranes of the oral cavity, and congestion and hemorrhaging in the lingual root, laryngopharynx, and cervical lymph nodes. However, no hemorrhaging of the cervical skin or soft tissue was observed. The cause of death was ultimately identified as pulmonary thromboembolism caused by an embolus originating from a deep leg vein thrombosis. If the pulmonary thromboembolism had not been detected, the cause of death may have been misidentified as strangulation.