Causes of asphyxic death: Auto-erotic deaths

Auto-erotic deaths

This type of death usually occurs in young and middle-aged males.

Cerebral hypoxia causes erotic hallucinations in some individuals. The hypoxia is usually induced by pressure to the neck, although a mask over the face, occluding the mouth and nose, may also be used. There is usually a ligature around the neck, placed in such a way that it will loosen, as the person becomes unconscious. Unfortunately things may not always go according to plan: the ligature may not loosen when the person loses consciousness, causing eventual death.

It is important to inspect the scene of death for other sexual practices such as bondage, transvestism and fetishism. Erotic literature is often found beside the body. As these deaths are unplanned and unforeseen, suicide letters are not found.

Remember that the emission of semen is a common post-mortem phenomenon due to rigor mortis of the muscles surrounding the sexual organs, and therefore not necessarily an indication of ante-mortal sexual activity.