Dr. Kendall Crowns

if they actually took a breath.

And that can be a number of tests that are actually not all that accurate.

There's the float test with the lung, but that can be disrupted by decomposition.

So the main thing, like I was talking about, is they're going to be looking for any signs that the child was living when it was born.

So did it take a breath?

And if it took a breath, the lungs will fill up with air and they could potentially float if you put them in water.

So you could say, oh, that they breathe if the lungs float in water.

The problem with the flotation test-

That's correct.

Well, it depends on how old the baby is gestationally.

If they are newborn, their lungs are about

Well, a couple inches maybe.

Have you done a water test on a baby?

So when I'm doing an autopsy on a baby, it's no different than doing an autopsy on an adult.

I have to determine the cause and manner of death.

And it's just, it is what it is.

I have to figure out what happened to this child or happened to the adult.

And that's the purpose of my employment.

It's tap water and it's basically a big cup.

That's correct.