CAUSES OF DEATH

CAUSE OF DEATH is the injury, disease or the combination of both injury and disease responsible for initiating the trend or physiological disturbance, brief or prolonged, which produce the fatal termination. 1. Immediate (Primary) Cause of Death- trauma or when disease kills quickly that there is no opportunity to sequelae or complications to develop. Ex. Extensive brain laceration due to VA
2. Proximate (Secondary) Cause of Death- the injury or disease was survived for sufficiently prolonged interval which permitted the development of serious sequelae which actually caused death. Ex. Stab wound in abdomen causes peritonitis.

 Mechanism of Death the physiologic derangement or biochemical disturbance incompatible with life which is initiated by the cause of death. Ex hemorrhagic shock, metabolic disturbance, respiratory depression, toxemic condition, cardiac arrest, tamponade.

Cardio-Respiratory Arrest is the terminal mechanism of most causes of death and can never stand independently as a reasonable explanation for the fatality. The cause must be stated ex. Hemorrhage, skull fracture, sepsis, trauma on the chest.

Manner of Death- is the explanation as to how the cause of death came into being or how the cause of death arose. 1. Natural Death- when the fatality is solely cause by disease ex pneumonia, heart dse., cancerous growth, cerebral hemorrhage 2. Violent or Unnatural death death due to injury of any sort ex gunshot, stab, fracture, traumatic shock.

Medico-Legal Classification of the Causes of Death

A. Natural death cause by a natural disease condition in the body. B. Violent Death due to injuries inflicted in the body by some forms of outside force. The Physical injury must be the proximate cause of death.

Penal Classification of Violent Deaths: 1. Accidental Death death due to misadventure or accident. Happened outside the sway of our will and lies beyond human forseeable consequences. In a pure accidental death, the person who causes the death is exempted from criminal liability. Art.12, No.4, revised Penal Code; Exempting Circumstances; The following are exempt from criminal liability: 4. Any person, who while performing a lawful act with due care, causes an injury by mere accident without fault or intention of causing it.

2. Negligent Death- death due to reckless imprudence, negligence, lack or skill or lack of foresight. 3. Suicide Death (Destruction of Ones Self)
A. Any person who shall assist another to commit suicide shall suffer the penalty of prision mayor B. Any person who lends his assistance to another to the extent of doing the killing himself, he shall suffer reclusion temporal C. If the suicide is not consummated the penalty of arresto mayor in its medium and maximum period shall be imposed

4. Parricidal Death (killing of Ones Relative) any person who shall kill his father, mother, or child whether legitimate or illegitimate, or any of his ascendants or descendants, or his spouse, shall be guilty of parricide and be punished by the penalty of reclusion perpetua to death. The father, mother or child killed must either be legitimate or illegitimate to make it parricide, so that the killing of ones illegitimate father is parricide. But insofar as with the other ascendants or descendants or spouse, it must be legitimate to make it parricide. Thus, the killing of a common-law wife or ones illegitimate grandfather is not parricide

5. Infanticidal Death (Killing of a child less than three days old): Crime committed by the mother of the child for the purpose of concealing for dishonor- prision correccional in its medium and maximum periods. If the said crime be committed for the same purpose by the maternal grandparents the penalty shall be prision mayor. if the killer is the father, mother or any of the legitimate ascendants the penalty corresponding to parricide shall be imposed. If the killing is made by another person, the penalty of murder shall be imposed

5. Murder: Art. 248, Revised Penal Code Any person who, not falling within the provisions of art 246shall kill another, shall be guilty of murder and shall be punished by reclusion temporal in its maximum period of death. Presence of several wounds inflicted by the offender prove murder because there is cruelty if he victim is alive, or scoffing or outraging at the corpse if inflicted after death. Presence of gunshot wound of entrance at the back- treachery

6. Homicidal Death punished by reclusion temporal

Death Under Special Circumstances

1. Death Caused in a Tumultuous Affray: 2. Death or Physical Injuries Inflicted under Exceptional Circumstances:
a) Any legally married person who, having surprised his spouse in the act of committing sexual intercourse with another person, shall kill any of them or both of them in the act or immediately thereafter, or shall inflict upon them any serious physical injury, shall suffer the penalty of destierro b) These rules shall be applicable, under the same circumstances, to parents with respect to their daughters under eighteen years of age, and their seducers, while the daughters are living with their parents