SIGNIFICANT COINCIDENTAL FINDINGS AT AUTOPSY IN ACCIDENTAL CHILDHOOD DEATH

Three cases of unexpected childhood death are presented in which signi ficant potentially Life-threatening lesions were identified that were considered coincidental to the cause of death. Two children died of ac cidental asphyxia and one died of potassium fluoride poisoning. Abnorm alities identified at autopsy included established myocarditis (two ca ses) and cardiac rhabdomyomas (one case). In one case a previously uns uspected abnormal familial karyotype was found. These cases emphasize the value of complete autopsy investigations in all types of sudden ch ildhood death, even when the cause of death appears obvious; they also demonstrate that potentially lethal organic disease may be asymptomat ic in childhood and unrelated to death.