JIST

Abstract

Drug-facilitated chronic sexual assault on children presents significant challenges for medico-legal practitioners, the police, and all other stakeholders in the criminal justice system. The objective of this case report is to illustrate the difficulties encountered in cases of drug-facilitated child assault. In this particular case, a 12-year-old girl tragically lost her life after being sexually assaulted multiple times following the administration of a drink laced with drugs. We highlight the challenges faced in determining the cause of death in this case owing to negative toxicological findings. To be an expert in opining on matters of child abuse, thorough training in the fields of paediatric and adult gynaecology is necessary for forensic medicine practitioners. There is also a strong need to create awareness among the health fraternity about the need to be vigilant about child abuse and follow an initiative-taking approach in reporting the incidents of such abuse. By fostering professional discourse and knowledge exchange, we can enhance the quality of our work and ensure successful prosecution in cases of child sexual abuse.