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An investigator finds blow flies on a body. What could the investigator infer about the postmortem interval?

A. Death occurred within 1-24 hours from that time.
B. The body is at least 3-5 days old.
C. Death occurred 8-10 days ago.
D. Death occurred more than 1 month ago.

Answer :

Final answer:

The presence of blow flies on a body indicates that death likely occurred within the previous 1-24 hours, as these flies are typically the first to arrive at a carcass. The larvae's growth stages can be used to further estimate the postmortem interval. Consequently, the current finding points towards a relatively recent death, likely within a day after discovery.


Explanation:

Determining Postmortem Interval from Blow Flies


In forensic entomology, the presence of blow flies (family Calliphoridae) on a body can provide critical insights into the postmortem interval (PMI). Blow flies are typically the first insects to arrive at a decomposing carcass, often laying their eggs within minutes to hours of death. The life cycle of these flies includes egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages, with each stage taking a known amount of time to develop, which allows forensic scientists to estimate the minimum time since death.


Based on general knowledge of blow fly activity:



  1. If blow flies are found, it is likely that death occurred within 1-24 hours prior to their arrival, as they are attracted to fresh carcasses where they can lay eggs.

  2. If the body is at least 3-5 days old, the larvae would likely be larger and more developed.

  3. After about a week, the life cycle progresses, suggesting that if blow flies are present but larvae have already transformed into pupae, death occurred 8-10 days ago.

  4. If a body has been there for more than a month, significant decomposition would have occurred, and other insect species would likely dominate.


Thus, finding blow flies suggests that death occurred relatively recently, typically within the first 24 hours. However, precise age can be calculated by analyzing the developmental stages of the larvae found on the body.


Learn more about postmortem interval here:

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