Text Box: SUDDEN UNEXPECTED CHILD DEATHS (FORENSIC AUTOPSY RESULTS IN CASES OF SUDDEN DEATHS DURING A FIVE YEAR PERIOD) T¨¹mer AR1 , Bilge Y1, Kendi Ö1, Demirel B2 1Ankara University School of Medicine Department of Forensic Medicine, Ankara, Turkey 2Council of Forensic Medicine, Ankara, Turkey Objectives: To determine the incidence of various causes of sudden unexpected child deaths (SUCD) and to assess the importance of an autopsy in predicting the likelihood of finding a cause of death. Methods: A retrospective analysis of autopsy findings in 97 cases of SUCD between the ages of 0 -11 years was undertaken at the Council of Forensic Medicine Ankara during a five year period (1995-2000). Results: Cases were classified as explained causes (80.42 %) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (19.58 %). 25.77 % of the deaths occurred in the neonatal period, 45.31 % of them in the first year of life and the remaining 28.86 % after one year of life. The causes of neonatal deaths were respiratory pathology (5 cases), birth complications (4 cases), gastrointestinal pathology (1 case), homicide (10 cases) and SIDS (5 cases). The incidence of SIDS in the newborn period was 33%. The incidence of unexplained causes of deaths in the postneonatal period was 31% and the causes of deaths were respiratory pathology (15 cases), aspiration (5 cases), gastrointestinal pathology (4 cases), SIDS (14 cases) and other causes (4 cases). Conclusion: The study of an entire population provides more reliable data regarding causes of sudden unexpected child deaths than does the study of small groups and it is also recommended that in addition to a through evaluation a detailed autopsy must be performed for each case in experienced centers. 1125