CONCEALED HOMICIDAL STRANGULATION FIRST DISCOVERED AT NECROPSY

One adult and one childhood case of concealed homicide by strangulatio n are presented. Both cases were first recognised on formal neck disse ction at necropsy. Neither showed any obvious external trauma to the n eck or laryngeal fracture. External petechiae were absent in the child . The pattern of internal injuries in both cases suggested that the li kely mechanism was strangulation. Particular care is required in busy routine medicolegal practice in order to detect deaths which are not i mmediately apparent as asphyxial.