Preparation for any procedure is important. This principle applies to the examination of the death scene. The forensic investigator or forensic pathologist must recognize that the death scene is usually the jurisdiction of the responding law enforcement agency. In most cases, the body itself is considered the jurisdiction of the death investigator. This process works well as long as there is a collegial and trusting relationship among the various respondents.

Many tasks must be accomplished at the death scene. Depending on local statutes, protocols, and resources, these tasks may be assigned differently fromjurisdiction to jurisdiction. In large jurisdictions, many expertly trained personnel who can assume the various responsibilities are often available. In smaller jurisdictions, however, the detective, for example, may also fulfill the duties of a crime scene technician and play other roles as well. The same is true for the death investigator. The only issue of importance is that all these tasksmustbe accomplished.

Once death investigators are familiar with their responsibilities in a particular jurisdiction, they can prepare a tool kit for the appropriate tasks. A minimum kit should include protective equipment for personnel, materials for transporting the body and collecting evidence, and a means to document the scene both photographically and in writing. Because each task is dependent on the jurisdiction, it is not possible to describe the kit fully here.

No two death scenes are the same. In some cases, the body may be found at the scene of the death or crime; in other circumstances the death may occur in a hospital, several hours or days after the event that started the process. Examining the scene of the incident will in many cases provide essential information to understanding the mechanism of death.

In all cases, a primary event begins the death process. The body passes through a set of pathophysiologic events (mechanism of death) that are usually predictable, given the original insult, and finally dies. Examination of the scene often provides information that may explain, or corroborate, the autopsy findings. In all cases, the scene and witness information should be consistent with the observed findings at autopsy. If they are not, then an explanation must be found to reconcile the differences.

In gathering this information, the scene often provides a timeline for the sequence of events and gives clues to the changing pathophysiology of the deceased in the agonal phase. At all times, we are acutely aware that the autopsy documents the observable anatomic deviation from normality and is not an efficient tool for detecting functional changes in physiology. The scene may provide some information to fill the missing pieces; this is akin to a physician taking a history from a living patient, which is a critical part of the physical examination. The same is true for the death investigator, who should not ignore the scene as a potential source of information.

At a minimum, some of the procedures that may have to be undertaken by the death investigator are as follows.

Professional identification will be required to approach the area and enter the scene. The vehicle should be parked in a safe area that does not obstructmovement of other vehicles. The death investigator should report to the officer controlling the scene, produce identification, and log in on the control sheet. If necessary, the death investigator should explain his or her role in the investigation and determine how safe it is to enter the scene. Necessary protective equipment should be prepared and donned. Information is next gathered from all possible sources; all information and observations should be noted. The validity and weight of the information and observations will be determined later.

For this discussion, it is presumed that the deceased is still at the scene and that the scene often involves a crime. Presuming the worst case scenario and gathering all information immediately usually yields the best results in the long term. It is often very difficult to go back and reconstruct the scene once it has been cleaned up.

The police control the scene and will have created a secure area around it to limit access. They will do their initial processing before they allow other individuals to enter the scene. Taking of photographs, collection of trace evidence, and other specialized examinations may initially restrict access to the scene. The death investigator will be given access once the crime scene processing has progressed to a point at which additional persons are not likely to compromise the gathering of trace evidence or disrupt the scene. The time spent waiting to enter the controlled area around the body should be used to gather basic information on the death from police, paramedics, family, and any available witnesses. If possible, information should include the following:

Finally, before entering the scene, the lead investigator should brief all participants to ensure they are clear about their respective responsibilities. The tasks that must be completed by a respondent (detective, crime scene technician, death investigator, and any others) include the following:

For the death investigator, observations at the scene should be focused on the context of the body in the scene. A preliminary examination of the body will assist in directing the procedures for other investigators. Detailed examination of the body in a controlled environment will be done later. Any item that is of evidentiary value and likely to be lost, contaminated, displaced, or otherwise tampered with during transport to the mortuary facility should be documented at the scene and processed according to local procedures.

The body should not have been examined by police before arrival of the death investigators. Obviously the body may have been examined and handled to some degree by first responders during attempted resuscitation and pronouncement of death. Once the person is pronounced dead, all activity at the body should stop until the death investigator arrives to take jurisdiction.

Documentation of the position of the body, clothing position, changes after death, medical intervention, and blood or body parts remote from the body and their relative positions, are the basics needed for documentation. The primary responsibility of the death investigator is to document the scene relative to the body. The use of digital photography provides an easy way to communicate and store this information. The photographs should be supplemented by written notes and diagrams. Contact information of the other agency personnel is also important so that all who are involved in investigating the case from their own perspective and focused on their own responsibilities can share appropriate data.

In most cases, the death investigator will now have assumed custody of the body. The body should be handled in a careful and dignified manner. It is appropriate to place the body in an unused, clean, and impervious transport pouch to protect it, prevent contamination of the evidence, and prevent personnel in the transport chain fromcoming into contact with biohazardmaterials.

If the body is to be transported by anyone other than the death investigator at the scene, a chain of custody record is required. This should be filled out and signed as the body is passed fromperson to person in the chain andat themortuary facility.

Steps for removing the adult brain are as follows:

In selected cases, the spinal cord is also examined. The procedure is most commonly performed by an anterior approach after removal of the thoracoabdominal organs and extraction of the brain. Steps for this procedure are as follows:

This technique allows removal of the intracranial contents in continuity with the intraspinal contents, with the least artifactual distortion of the brainstem and cervical spinal cord. If performed carefully, the technique is reliable and fairly simple in children and is the method of choice when lesions to the distal brainstem or proximal cervical spinal cord are suspected. In addition, the midline incision of the posterior torso can be extended laterally, and the soft tissues of the back can be thoroughly visualized, allowing the inspection of injuries to the back. Steps for this procedure are as follows: