The unexpected finding of a benign mature teratoma in a forensic pathology autopsy: a rare cause for sudden, unexpected death.

Intracranial teratomas are rare tumors that are usually discovered in infancy due to progressive symptoms. We describe a case of a 38-year-old man who was found dead 9 hours after the last sign of life. The deceased's medical history could not explain the sudden, unexpected death. A forensic autopsy revealed an asymptomatic, mature teratoma in the left frontal and temporal lobes. We concluded that the cause of death must have been a generalized epileptiform seizure originating in the tumor site(s) leading to aspiration of the stomach contents and unfavorable positioning, resulting in asphyxia.