How to Determine a Drowning Homicide

In most cases, death by drowning is concluded to be accidental. Further investigation often fails to turn up evidence of murder. But it is estimated that some drowning deaths are the result of a homicide. If you're assigned the task of determining if a drowning death is a homicide, you'll need to look for these signs during your investigation. Knowing what to look for can help determine a drowning homicide.

Instructions

1. Check the shallowness of the water where the body is found. If the body is found in shallow water, drowning might be ruled out and an investigation into a possible homicide begun.

2. Examine the drowned person's hands for signs that he might have fought to survive. Wounds to the hands or objects such as grass clutched in the person's hands might indicate that there was a possible confrontation.

3. Look for evidence of other injuries. Gunshot wounds, stab wounds or signs of strangulation would point to the drowning being the result of a homicide.

4. Determine if the victim died as a result of drowning. In some cases, a person might be murdered elsewhere and then the body dumped into a body of water. Examining the lungs during an autopsy will determine if the victim did indeed drown.

5. Have a medical examiner check the larynx of the victim. In many drowning cases, the larynx will shows signs of a spasm due to the sudden exposure of the body to cold water. This can help determine if the victim was alive when he entered the water and possibly rule out the person having been murdered and later dumped in the water.

6. Perform tests to determine if the victim has alcohol or drugs present in his blood. Lack of such substances can help rule out a possible accidental drowning and help a homicide investigation.