Interpretation of anogenital findings in the living child: Implications for the paediatric forensic autopsy

Abstract 

Examination of the anogenital area is an important part of the forensic autopsy when the death of a child or adolescent has occurred in suspicious circumstances. Practitioners undertaking forensic autopsy in this age-group should be familiar with the range of genital findings found in non-abused living children and adolescents, the genital findings described in association with sexual assault and accidental trauma to the genital area in the living child and the medical conditions that may be misinterpreted as signs of sexual abuse. This review summarises the recent literature on genital findings in living children and adolescents and discusses the implications for the examination of the anogenital area as part of the paediatric forensic autopsy.

Keywords: Forensic medicine, Child abuse, Homicide, Trauma, Sexual abuse, Anogenital findings