The The detection of amphipods in a corpse can preliminarily identify the cause of death for forensic science and investigation benefits
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Abstract
Nowadays, insects and arthropods have become beneficial to forensic science. This also includes crustaceans in the water (river, sea). They can help the entomologist and forensic scientist reconstruct and predict the postmortem interval by studying their characteristics, life cycle, behavior, and habitat. The purpose of this article is to study the importance of amphipods, which are useful for forensic science and the justice system. Amphipods are small freshwater animals known as terrestrial or aquatic predators. There is a paucity of reports on the presence of crustaceans on a dead body after death for a few hours. Based on the autopsy, amphipods were found in the stomach and trachea of a young man's body found in the Chao Phraya River, Pak Kret Police Station service area, Nonthaburi Province. By collecting amphipod samples from the corpse and micro-CT scanning examination, the postmortem interval can be estimated to be accurate to the true value by using the information from the analysis of amphipods. Moreover, the incident and cause of death can be achieved, leading to the advantages of the justice system with the resolution of misinterpretation and postmortem evaluation errors. This article can be considered a consultative tool for investigation officers and forensic pathologists who work on crime scene investigation and autopsy.
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