Presence of vitality evidence in railway run-over cases in the autopsy material of the Kraków Department of Forensic Medicine = Występowanie dowodów zażyciowości przejechania przez pociąg w materiale sekcyjnym krakowskiego Zakładu Medycyny Sądowej
Presence of vitality evidence in railway run-over cases in the autopsy material of the Kraków Department of Forensic Medicine

Summary/Abstract: Introduction: Assessment of vitality in railway run-over cases is crucial for accurately distinguishing deaths resulting from accidents, suicides, or other types of events from those caused by criminal activity. To determine vitality at the time of the run-over, autopsy evaluation relies on the presence of indicators of preserved circulation and respiratory function at the moment of the incident.Aim of the study: The aim of the study is to determine the frequency of selected vitality indicators in railway run-over cases and to analyze their relationship with toxicological findings, the sex of the victims, and the manner of death.Materials and methods: After reviewing autopsy reports and the photographic database (2011–2023), 71 deaths classified as caused by railway run-over were identified. Data were collected on the described indicators of vitality at the time of the incident and the frequency of their occurrence. Blood alcohol concentration, sex and age of the victims, as well as the circumstances of the event, were also recorded.Results: The analysis demonstrated that in every railway run-over case, the presence of vitality indicators could be confirmed, with external bruising being observed in all instances. Internal hemorrhages were also frequent (38% of cases), as were pulmonary contusions (58%) and aspiration of blood into the airways (45%). The vast majority of the deceased were male (83.1%). At the time of the incident, a blood alcohol concentration exceeding 0.5‰ was found in 45.1% of individuals. More than half of the cases (56.3%) were classified as accidents, 36.6% as suicides, and in 7% the circumstances of death remained unclear.Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that even in cases involving extensive bodily trauma, including dismemberment, it is possible to determine whether the victim was alive at the moment of the railway run-over. Despite the severe destruction of the bodies, it remains feasible to establish whether death resulted from the run-over itself or whether an alternative cause should be considered, such as homicide followed by placement of the body on the tracks.

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