Case report analyzes complex suicide involving a hanging and abdominal cuts, suggesting improved management for depression.
Complex suicide is a rare and intricate occurrence posing considerable difficulties in forensic practice in determining the manner of death. We present a case involving a 48-year-old right-handed man with a history of depression who was discovered dead and hung from a tree. Autopsy revealed an oblique ligature mark and multiple superficial horizontal incised wounds in the abdominal wall, with no evidence of defensive injuries, restraint marks, or poisoning. The individual’s medical history, patterns of the ligature mark and abdominal wounds, and lack of disturbance supported the classification of the case as a complex suicide. This case report contributes to the existing literature on the forensic handling of complex suicides, emphasizing the vital role of a multidisciplinary approach in postmortem investigations. This study also highlights the importance of improved management strategies for individuals with depressive disorders to prevent such outcomes.
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Gebremariam et al. (2026) studied this question.
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