Cause of Death in Carbonized Children: What is The Role of Carboxyhemoglobin?

While fire-related deaths are regularly encountered by medical examiners and in the forensic practice, one of the most important signs that death occurred by carbon monoxide poisoning is the blood level of Carboxyhemoglobin, which usually is stated by the literature as above 50%. We examined retrospectively the reports of 16 children charred corpses that died in closed space. The dosage of Carboxyhemoglobin of 10 of them was less than 50%. In absence of any other plausible manner of death, the examiners concluded that the cause of death was due to carbon monoxide poisoning. The authors emphasize the necessity of further research to establish adequately what is the lethal blood level of carboxyhemoglobin in children.