Biomaterial Database

Death caused by a constricting snake--an infant death. 1989

V O McCarty, and R A Cox, and B Haglund

Washoe County Coroner, Reno, NV.

A 21-month-old male was found dead in his crib. An escaped pet python snake (Python reticulatus) was found near the child on a cribside shelf. Autopsy findings included petechiae associated with asphyxial death plus puncture wounds consistent with the reptile's teeth. This report details this 1982 death of a child in Reno, Nevada, and includes illustration of the reptile's bite marks plus description of snake jaw mechanics in swallowing.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D008297	Male		Males
D002423	Cause of Death	Factors which produce cessation of all vital bodily functions. They can be analyzed from an epidemiologic viewpoint.	Causes of Death,Death Cause,Death Causes
D005151	Facial Injuries	General or unspecified injuries to the soft tissue or bony portions of the face.	Injuries, Facial,Facial Injury,Injury, Facial
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001237	Asphyxia	A pathological condition caused by lack of oxygen, manifested in impending or actual cessation of life.	Suffocation,Asphyxias,Suffocations
D012867	Skin	The outer covering of the body that protects it from the environment. It is composed of the DERMIS and the EPIDERMIS.
D012909	Snake Bites	Bites by snakes. Bite by a venomous snake is characterized by stinging pain at the wound puncture. The venom injected at the site of the bite is capable of producing a deleterious effect on the blood or on the nervous system. (Webster's 3d ed; from Dorland, 27th ed, at snake, venomous)	Envenomation, Snakebite,Snake Envenomation,Snake Envenoming,Snakebite Envenoming,Snakebites,Bite, Snake,Envenomation, Snake,Envenoming, Snake,Envenoming, Snakebite,Snake Bite,Snake Envenomations,Snake Envenomings,Snakebite,Snakebite Envenomation,Snakebite Envenomations,Snakebite Envenomings
D012911	Snakes	Limbless REPTILES of the suborder Serpentes.	Serpentes,Ophidia,Snake