Unobserved death of an infant: cot death?]

Three children, two girls aged 8 and 12 months and one boy aged 7 weeks, were found dead unexpectedly. Autopsy revealed pneumonia in two children, following which the diagnosis of 'natural, explained death' was made; one child showed no abnormalities and the diagnosis read 'natural, unexplained death' (cot death). Autopsy may currently only be performed with parental permission or, in case of doubt about unnatural cause of death, by order of the public prosecutor. The authors propose routine performance of a protocolled autopsy by GP, pediatrician, pathologist and medical examiner in order to avoid subsequent and possibly incorrect doubt about the cause of death.