[3] Abuse and neglect which results in death or serious physical or emotional harm to a child, an elderly or infirm person, or an animal can be proven by using insect evidence.
Some insects, such as the Green Bottle Fly, (Lucilia sericata (Meigen)), are drawn to odors, such as ammonia, resulting from urine or fecal contamination.
Adult green bottle flies tend to be attracted to an incontinent individual who lacks voluntary control of excretory functions.
Such examples include a baby who has not had its diapers changed often or an incontinent elderly person who has not been helped in maintaining routine bodily hygiene.
[4] Flies lay their eggs in and around clothing and skin which, if left undiscovered, will hatch into maggots (larvae) which begin feeding upon flesh, open wounds, ulcers, and any natural bodily entry point.
Forensic entomologists utilize collected insect evidence to determine post mortem interval (PMI), which is presented when proceeding in criminal investigations as it gives insight into the circumstances of a crime.
Within the parameters of CAPTA, each state is responsible for individually defining child abuse, neglect, and dependence and outline the care expected of parents and caregivers.
Some usual symptoms of child abuse/neglect include malnutrition, bruises or abrasions, healing fractures, and repetitive or cumulative injuries upon examination of skin, soft tissues, and bones.
Case Study: The child of an incarcerated father and heroin-addicted prostitute mother, was found on July 10, 2000, in the home of a 20-year-old woman in Germany.
[10] Case Study: A two-year-old male child showing signs of malnourishment and suffering severe enteric pain and bleeding was admitted to a hospital in Ireland.
Larvae of Dermestes lardarius (larder beetles) were also found in large numbers in boxes of biscuits in the kitchen at the child's home.
Case Study: A four-year-old child with a high fever and covered with several hundred Dermanyssus gallinae (red mite) and their bites was abandoned at a hospital in Ireland.
Investigators traced the child to a caravan occupied by "travelers" parked near a hen house where the birds were heavily infested with the mite.
In typical elderly abuse cases, victims are generally older widowed women living on fixed incomes.
The typical abuser is usually a family member such as a spouse or child, but non-relatives such as nursing home attendants can play a part.
Signs are lack of food and water, not bathing regularly, wearing the same clothes repetitively, weight loss, withdrawal from social contact, depression, and anxiety.
There has to be abuse or neglect that causes an injury with blood, decaying tissue, feces or urine that attracts flies and the animals must be fairly helpless or incapable of cleaning themselves.
In particular, rabbits, pigs, dogs, and sheep can be victims of “blowfly strike” because of the urine or fecal matter stuck to their fur, fleece, or hind quarters through neglect, poor captivity and living conditions, or ill health.
Lucilia illustris and Phaenicia sericata are common and ubiquitous blowfly species that are frequently reported in forensic cases involving human homicide[19][20][21][22] and wildlife crime.
[15] Case Study 2: A civilian reported liquid leaking from a neighbor's garage and mentioned hearing barking and whining for weeks.
Investigators made the discovery of a deceased dog, a food bowl occupied with an unknown substance, and a bag of feces all in separate areas of the garage.
[24] Species of importance include: Currently, extensive research on insect indicators of abuse or neglect is being conducted and published by Mark Benecke, a German forensic entomologist.
Although popular culture illustrates forensic entomology as a strict determining factor in legal cases, science is generally used as an aid to elicit more evidence.