TY - JOUR
T1 - Drug facilitated sexual assault with lethal outcome
T2 - GHB intoxication in a six-year-old girl
AU - Mehling, Lena-Maria
AU - Johansen, Sys Stybe
AU - Wang, Xin
AU - Doberentz, Elke
AU - Madea, Burkhard
AU - Hess, Cornelius
N1 - Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
PY - 2016/2/1
Y1 - 2016/2/1
N2 - A very serious case of DFSA (drug facilitated sexual assault) is presented, in which a six-year-old girl died following sedation with γ-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB). She had been sexually abused by a relative. Samples of cardiac blood, bile, vitreous humour, liver, kidney, brain tissues and hair were analysed by a LC-MS/MS method. The following GHB concentrations were determined: cardiac blood: 150 mg/l; bile: 292mg/l; vitreous humour: 58mg/l; liver: 100 mg/kg; kidney: 124.5 mg/kg, brain: 110 mg/kg. Very high GHB levels were found in the proximal part of the hair sample (about 40.9 ng/mg). In distal segments of hair - up to 12 cm distant from the hair scalp - GHB concentrations were higher than the overall found endogenous range of 2-3 ng/mg. Police investigations revealed that the uncle had also administered GHB to the older half-sister. Therefore, a sample of her hair was analysed accordingly, but unremarkable results were obtained. Comparing our toxicological results with police investigations and the offender's statements it can be assumed that the 6-year-old girl had ingested GHB. By exclusion of other causes of death a lethal intoxication with GHB could be confirmed.
AB - A very serious case of DFSA (drug facilitated sexual assault) is presented, in which a six-year-old girl died following sedation with γ-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB). She had been sexually abused by a relative. Samples of cardiac blood, bile, vitreous humour, liver, kidney, brain tissues and hair were analysed by a LC-MS/MS method. The following GHB concentrations were determined: cardiac blood: 150 mg/l; bile: 292mg/l; vitreous humour: 58mg/l; liver: 100 mg/kg; kidney: 124.5 mg/kg, brain: 110 mg/kg. Very high GHB levels were found in the proximal part of the hair sample (about 40.9 ng/mg). In distal segments of hair - up to 12 cm distant from the hair scalp - GHB concentrations were higher than the overall found endogenous range of 2-3 ng/mg. Police investigations revealed that the uncle had also administered GHB to the older half-sister. Therefore, a sample of her hair was analysed accordingly, but unremarkable results were obtained. Comparing our toxicological results with police investigations and the offender's statements it can be assumed that the 6-year-old girl had ingested GHB. By exclusion of other causes of death a lethal intoxication with GHB could be confirmed.
U2 - 10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.12.044
DO - 10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.12.044
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 26774600
SN - 0379-0738
VL - 259
SP - e25-e31
JO - Forensic Science International
JF - Forensic Science International
ER -