An unusual death of a masochist: Accident or suicide?

"Autoerotic asphyxia'' typically involves an individual hanging or ligature, resulting in self-induced oxygen deprivation brought about by neck compression during sexual activity. Little about the so-called "atypical forms'' of autoerotic asphyxia, which also involve compression of the chest or abdomen, has been published in forensic literature. When death results from such practices, they are usually deemed accidental, however, suicide or homicide must also be considered. The authors present a single case of accidental fatal asphyxia by the simultaneous compression of the neck, chest, and abdomen using a chair-bed. The victim was known to have had masochistic tendencies. In order to confirm the hypothesis of accidental death, the results of crime scene investigations, and autopsy findings, including histological and toxicological analysis, are summarized here. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.