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Accidental Decapitations
Please add the profiles of those who were accidentally decapitated, regardless of the means (see below) & include any details, if known, in the About section of the profile.
- (Deliberate Beheadings are in the project Beheadings under Capital Punishment)
Decapitation is the complete separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is fatal to humans and usually fatal to most animals, since it deprives all other organs of the involuntary functions that are needed for the body to function, while the brain is deprived of oxygenated blood.
Accidental decapitations are rare occurrences’ and their mention is rare in the medical literature. Accidental decapitations can result from traffic accidents, or occupational accidents. Accidental decapitation can also be the result of an explosion, car or industrial accident, improperly administered execution by hanging or other violent injury. Unusual decapitations have been reported from elevators, wires across roads, obstetric procedures, among others. Decapitation may be associated with failure to use seat belts, fast driving speeds, and road barriers. Unrestrained children may also be at risk for decapitation from airbags. Decapitation by industrial trauma can occur at any age, and is often associated with heavy machinery in workshops or farm equipment being towed behind a tractor.
Notables decapitated:
Wikipedia - List of people who were beheaded (Accidentally)
Modern Germany
- Csaba Kesjár, (1962-1988) decapitated in a German Formula 3 race, in Norisring. (The Eastern European pioneer - The stories behind motor racing facts & fiction (died of head injuries or decapitation?)
Great Britain
- Hon. Henry Byng, 4th Earl of Strafford (1899) – decapitated by a train (--actually per inquest: Death by Misadventure)
- Donald Campbell (1921-1967) – decapitated in crash during world water speed record attempt (body not found until 2001)
Romania
- Nicolae Labiş (1935-1956) – fell off of a tram while going to a friend's house and was decapitated when his head hit the pavement between the two trams (was practically decapitated)
South Africa
- Peter Revson (1930-1974) – racing driver decapitated in testing crash (crashed heavily into the Armco Barrier on the outside of "Barbecue Bend.", and was killed.)
United States
- Denny Keith (1964) – decapitated in racing car crash
- Charles Bassett (1931-1966) – decapitated in crash of jet aircraft
- Les Ritchey (1966) – decapitated in drag racing crash
- Ken Kotalac (1969) – decapitated in drag bike racing crash
- François Cevert (1973) – cut in pieces in racing car crash
- Helmuth Koinigg (1974) – decapitated in racing car crash
- Vic Morrow (1929-1982) decapitated by crashing helicopter during film shoot
- Russell Phillips (1969-1995) – decapitated in racing car crash (Find A Grave Memorial# 113489463 and Wikipedia - Russell Phillips
- Caleb Schwab (2006-2016) (Chicago Tribune - Boy was decapitated on waterslide at Kansas park, source says
Additional Reading:
- Wikipedia - Decapitation
- Umesh-Babu R, Kiran J. Accidental Decapitation; a Case Report. International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Forensic Medicine. 2015; 5(1): 36-8.
- Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences, Volume 2, Issue 3 Accidental decapitation September 2012 /react-text react-text: 70 , Pages 112-114 – An urban legend turned true
- The Telegraph - Australian woman died after ‘head was cut off during freak lawnmower accident’
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laqiUX-a9eI YouTube - Indiana man decapitated working on Cell tower]
- NCBI - Accidental deapitation: a case report
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