Fatal Chest Injury Caused by Windblown Beach Umbrella

Abstract

We present the case of a windblown beach umbrella inflicting fatal penetrating blunt force to the chest of a 55-year-old female beachgoer. A postmortem examination and detailed case history review were performed which revealed left ventricular trauma, determined to be the cause of death. Using recorded wind speeds from the date of the incident and the weight of the umbrella, we were able to calculate the pressure with which the umbrella struck the victim to be 16,000 PSI. Witness reports, medical records, scene details, and examination of a rental beach umbrella allowed the forensic pathologist to conclude that the object causing this woman's death was a windblown beach umbrella.

Keywords: beach umbrella; chest trauma; forensic pathology; forensic science; penetrating blunt force; wind.