Ethan Clarke
Plastic bags are a common household item, but they can pose a serious risk of suffocation, especially to children. While it may seem like a harmless object, placing a plastic bag over one's head can lead to fatal consequences due to the restriction of oxygen and the buildup of carbon dioxide. Accidental deaths, especially among children playing with plastic bags, have been reported, along with intentional suicides and homicides. The diagnosis of deaths involving plastic bag suffocation can be challenging for pathologists, especially when combined with other factors such as drug intake or inhalation of volatile compounds. This article will explore the dangers of plastic bags, the mechanisms behind suffocation, and the impact on individuals and society.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic bags can kill | Yes |
| Common causes of death | Suicide, Homicide, Accident |
| Victims | Children, Adolescents, Adults |
| Methods | Inhalation of chloroform, Inhalation of ether, Inhalation of propane, Inhalation of nitrogen, Inhalation of helium |
| Other methods | Fastening the bag around the neck, Blocking the mouth/nose |
| Prevention | Suffocation warning on bags |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic bags and suicide
Plastic bags have been used as a method for suicide through asphyxiation. This method was first recorded in the 1990s, and its frequency has increased since the 2000s due to the spread of guides on the internet, in print, and on video. Suicide using a plastic bag typically involves placing the bag over the head, sometimes in combination with the inhalation of inert gases such as helium or nitrogen, or other substances like chloroform, propane, or ether. The availability of plastic bags and the relative non-violence of death make this method preferable for some individuals, especially those over 50 years old.
Suicide bags, also known as exit bags, are a specific type of device used for suicide through inert gas asphyxiation. These bags are usually large plastic bags with a drawcord or an adjustable Velcro strip around the neck. The use of inert gases, such as helium or nitrogen, in conjunction with the bag helps to prevent the panic, sense of suffocation, and struggling before unconsciousness. Additionally, the removal of the bag and gas canister before a death investigation can make the direct cause of death difficult to trace.
The combination of plastic bag suffocation with self-poisoning or the intake of drugs affecting the Central Nervous System (CNS) is also encountered in forensic pathology. This method, known as a planned complex suicide, involves the simultaneous use of two or more suicide techniques. For example, a case study described a 67-year-old woman who died due to a combination of codeine overdose and asphyxiation by a plastic bag. The absence of struggle and the rapid onset of death make this method appealing to those seeking a painless and inconspicuous suicide method.
Plastic bag suffocation as a means of suicide remains relatively uncommon, and it can be challenging for pathologists to determine the cause of death, especially if the bag is removed from the scene. Petechiae, which are considered markers of asphyxiation, are only present in a small minority of cases involving plastic bag suffocation. However, the presence of the plastic bag during scene investigation can provide valuable diagnostic information to pathologists.
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Homicide with plastic bags
Plastic bags are typically required to have a suffocation warning, but unfortunately, deaths from suffocation do occur, including homicides. Homicide by plastic bag suffocation is not common, but it has been known to happen. For example, in Medellín, Colombia, between 2008 and 2021, out of 38,772 autopsies, 96 were due to death by plastic bag suffocation, and of those 96 cases, 89 were men and 7 were women. The young male population between the ages of 15 and 27 was the most affected.
In terms of the mechanics of homicide by plastic bag, it involves the obstruction of the epiglottis, nose, mouth, or pharynx, which impedes the intake of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide. Plastic bags can be used in homicide with homicidal intention, or they may be accidentally placed over the head or used to inhale volatile substances.
In one case, a 49-year-old male merchant in Athens, Greece, was found by his wife with a plastic bag secured around his neck. The bag contained a small cleaning towel, and next to him was a bottle of diethyl ether. Autopsy reports revealed prominent organ congestion and pulmonary edema, and toxicological analysis detected diethyl ether in the blood.
Another case of homicide by plastic bag suffocation was a copycat act inspired by a scene from the US feature film "Charade".
The finding of a body at the scene of death with a plastic bag in place can be valuable to a pathologist in determining the cause of death. Without the presence of the plastic bag, it may be difficult to determine the exact cause.
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Accidental deaths involving plastic bags
Plastic bags can be dangerous, and suffocation is a risk, especially for children. Accidental deaths involving plastic bags are not common, but they do happen, and they are preventable.
In one tragic case, a three-year-old boy from Hastings, Michigan, suffocated after playing with a plastic bag. His older brother was unable to remove the bag, and despite receiving medical attention, the boy passed away. This type of accident is more common among children who play with plastic bags and adolescents who misuse solvents.
In another case, a 49-year-old man in Athens, Greece, died from ether inhalation with a plastic bag over his head. The man was found by his wife, and an autopsy revealed the presence of diethyl ether and congestion in his organs.
While the majority of plastic bag-related deaths are suicides or homicides, accidental deaths can and do occur. It is important to be cautious and keep plastic bags out of the reach of children to prevent such tragic accidents.
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Plastic bag suffocation and drug overdose
Plastic bags are typically required to have a suffocation warning, but unfortunately, deaths from suffocating on plastic bags do occur. While not common, they are often the result of either homicide, suicide, or accidents. Accidental suffocation is most common among children who play with plastic bags and adolescents who abuse solvents.
Plastic bag suffocation is sometimes used as a method of suicide, often in combination with other methods such as the inhalation of volatile compounds or pharmacological substances at poisoning dosage. For instance, a 67-year-old woman was found dead with her head wrapped in a plastic bag knotted at the front of her neck. The postmortem examination revealed toxic levels of codeine in her blood, indicating a complex suicide involving codeine overdose and asphyxiation by plastic bag suffocation.
In another case, a 49-year-old male merchant was found by his wife in his office with a plastic bag securely fastened around his neck. A bottle of diethyl ether was found on his desk, and autopsy reports indicated that the cause of death was asphyxial death by ether inhalation and plastic bag suffocation.
The complexity of diagnosing deaths involving plastic bag suffocation, especially when combined with other methods like drug intake, underscores the importance of comprehensive toxicological analyses, careful scene examination, and histological studies. This comprehensive approach is crucial for accurately determining the cause and manner of death in such cases.
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Internet's role in plastic bag suicides
The internet has played a significant role in the spread of information about plastic bag suicides. Since the 2000s, guides on how to commit suicide using a plastic bag have become easily accessible online, in print, and on video, and the frequency of suicides by this method has increased. This has raised concerns among government officials and anti-abortion groups, who worry that vulnerable individuals might access and misuse this information.
In some cases, individuals have been found to spend hours online, searching for ways to commit suicide using plastic bags. This has been referred to as the "misuse" of the internet, emphasizing the role it can play in providing detailed and dangerous information to those who may be considering suicide. The availability of such information can influence an individual's choice of suicide method, as noted by Russel Ogden in 2002.
Online literature and websites have provided detailed instructions on suicide methods, including the use of plastic bags with helium or nitrogen asphyxiation. Nitrogen is often preferred as it leaves no trace of the cause of death, making it challenging for forensic pathologists to determine the manner of death. The combination of a plastic bag with other methods, such as drug intake or inhalation of solvents like ether, has also been described online, further complicating the diagnosis of suicide for medical examiners.
The internet has also been a platform for the distribution and sale of suicide kits by organizations and individuals, such as Nitschke, who promote the use of nitrogen tanks, regulators, and suicide bags through lectures, films, and published materials. These kits and instructions can provide a sense of demedicalising assisted suicide, moving it outside the traditional healthcare framework. This has led to calls for preventive measures to restrict the spread of such information at a global level.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, a plastic bag can kill. Plastic bags can cause suffocation by restricting airflow or causing a build-up of CO2.
Death by plastic bag suffocation is not common. However, it has been reported as a method of suicide, homicide, and accidental death. Accidental deaths are more common among children who play with plastic bags and adolescents who abuse solvents.
Plastic bag suffocation may leave poor or no signs of asphyxiation at autopsy. Toxicological analyses, careful scene examination, and histological studies are crucial for an accurate diagnosis, especially when combined with other methods like drug intake or inert gas inhalation.
