TY - JOUR PY - 2016// TI - Drug facilitated sexual assault with lethal outcome: GHB intoxication in a six-year-old girl JO - Forensic science international A1 - Mehling, Lena-Maria A1 - Johansen, Sys Stybe A1 - Wang, Xin A1 - Doberentz, Elke A1 - Madea, Burkhard A1 - Hess, Cornelius SP - e25 EP - 31 VL - 259 IS - 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.
Language: en
LA - en SN - 0379-0738 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.12.044 ID - ref1 ER -