Sudden Death

SUDDEN DEATH

"Sudden death" as it is known in legal speak occurs where someone dies other than from natural causes such as  illness. It encompasses circumstances such as murder, culpable homicide, suicide or cases where the cause of death is unknown and the possibility of foul play cannot immediately be ruled out.

Murder, by definition, is the intentional and unlawful killing of a human being born alive. Intention may be direct or inferred by law. In the light of the State v Pistorius most South Africans are probably expert in the subject of legal intention! In culpable homicide, the element of intention is replaced by negligence. 

Death from natural causes will probably not be recorded as an incident in our database unless our medical team was involved in trying to save the victim.