The naked and the dead: an unusual case of sudden death

Abstract Background In many societies, public nudity is a subject to a certain level of stigma associated with sexual deviance and perversion. Discovery of a naked body outdoors is considered a suspicious circumstance in forensic practice, most often leading to an assumption of sexually motivated homicide. Case presentation A 50-year-old man was found dead on a marked hiking trail; he was naked, wearing only a pair of socks and sneakers and a small backpack. No mechanical injuries were observed during the initial inspection at the scene. The reason for the man’s presence in the forest and his nudity was at that time unknown. Conclusions In the presented case, circumstantial evidence and autopsy findings led to a conclusion of a sudden cardiac death during naked hiking, a modern trend associated with naturism practice that is gradually gaining popularity around the world.