Vilification or necrophagy? The woman, the cat, the mouse and the ant

Abstract

Animal scavenging is a well-known phenomenon described in forensic literature, even if it is rare in practice. Most studies investigated the post-mortem alterations by vertebrate animals and insects, creating dedicated trial settings. Studies classify specific characteristics of injuries for each species. In this report, we present a case of a dead old woman attacked by scavenging animals while she was lying in her coffin in a local Farewell Hall. Circumstantial information permitted us to focus on post-mortem alterations due to animal bites and therefore to narrow the field and to explore in particular typical injuries caused by cats, rodents, ants and, for completeness, dogs. This assessment has been important for forensic investigators in order to discriminate between vilification and necrophagy and it has allowed the authorities to verify hygiene conditions of a health structure. In addition, the secondary aim of this work is to complete a review of the literature about animal scavenging in order to identify the species of origin.