Fereshteh shabani zonouzi

418i3b
Method of identifying the
corpse
POSTMORTEM IDENTIFICATION
• It is the medical examiner’s responsibility to determine the identity of
the deceased individual in a postmortem examination. The ideal result
is a positive identification based on objective evidence without doubt
as to the identity of the deceased. In some cases, a positive
identification cannot be made. In these cases, a presumptive
identification must be made in order to continue with the death
investigation and the disposition of the remains.
• A medical examiner’s most rewarding task is positively identifying
unknown remains. When they successfully complete this task, police
investigations can continue and the family has some peace of mind.
However, when they are unable to make a positive identification it
hinders the investigation. This can also lead to difficulties preparing
and filing a death certificate as well as an inability to settle insurance
claims. For these reasons, the medical examiner makes every possible
attempt to positively identify the deceased individual.
• Under most circumstances, the medical examiner has no difficulty
identifying the individual. They are usually presented with an
undecomposed body that has been identified previously by a family
member. Even in these cases, the medical examiner obtains a color
facial photo of the deceased with an identifying case number and two
sets of classifiable fingerprints. They also record the height and weight
of the deceased and retain a sample of the deceased’s blood for future
DNA studies
Fingerprints
• The most reliable method of identification is fingerprints. Ridge patterns
on fingers can be classified in order to identify specific individuals. In the
early 1900s, the New York City Civil Service Commission adopted the use
of fingerprints for personal identification. The FBI followed suit soon
after-it now has the largest collection of fingerprints in the world.
However, an antemortem (before death) record of fingerprints must exist
in order to establish the identity of the deceased using their fingerprints. If
the victim was fingerprinted before starting a job or if they had been
arrested, an antemortem record of their fingerprints would exist. An
examiner would then compare this antemortem record to the set of
fingerprints taken from the corpse. This latter set is referred to as a
postmortem record.
Dental Records
• Another method of identification is dental records. However, like
fingerprints, some sort of antemortem record must exist in order to
make a comparison. Antemortem radiography of the teeth is the most
effective dental record-if these records exist, a positive identification
can be made. Bone structures of the jaw, roots of the teeth, and sinuses
are all unique to an individual, making information gathered from
dental records very useful in forensic odontology.
• Forensic odontology is a forensic science, which handles, examines,
and presents dental evidence in court. Dental evidence can be helpful
in the identification of a person, but it can also help assess their age
and whether or not there were signs of violence.
DNA
• DNA can also be used as a technique for positive identification. Each
person’s DNA is unique, except in the case of identical twins.
Scientists first applied DNA to forensics in the 1980s. In order to
establish identity using DNA, examiners should retain postmortem
samples such as blood, hair with root bulb, skin, and bone marrow for
comparison to antemortem samples
• As mentioned before, postmortem samples are the samples collected
by the medical examiner and the antemortem samples are samples
which were taken at some time before death. These samples must
contain mitochondrial DNA or nucleated cells to be of any value.
Antemortem samples can be a variety of things: hair from a hairbrush
used only by the individual, a lock of hair, or clothing with stains such
as blood or sweat.
Presumptive Methods
• There are other forms of identification which are nonscientific. These
methods don’t necessarily lead to a positive identification; they can
only lead to a presumptive identification. This type of identification
uses specific characteristics to come to a reasonable basis of identity
for the unknown individual. Presumptive methods do not guarantee
that your identification is 100% correct. They usually only give you
enough evidence that you can presume your identification is correct.
Physical attributes
• This includes: sex, age, ancestry, eye color, and hair color are often
used. Also, distinctive marks are very helpful. These marks can
include tattoos, birthmarks, scars, or any piercings. A visual
identification by a family member or friend is an easy way of
identifying a deceased person as long as there isn’t extreme
decomposition. Usually, the medical examiner takes photos of the
body and has the living person attempt to identify the individual by
looking at the photos.
• Circumstantial evidence useful in identifying the person is usually
present either on the deceased or in the area where the body was
found. Clothing, jewelry, glasses, or even paper found on the
individual can provide clues to the individual’s identity. Also,
depending on the circumstances, the location where the body was
found can be a key piece of evidence. If the police found the body
inside a home or a car registered to a specific person, it becomes easier
to identify the deceased.
• These various methods can all be used in postmortem identification.
However, decomposition may make some of these methods very
difficult. These methods are often used in combination with each
other. For example, a distinctive mark like a tattoo could be used to
narrow down the list of individuals whose antemortem samples you
would have to gather. You would then only examine dental records or
fingerprints from people who had the same tattoo. Most of these
identification methods require antemortem samples, which may or
may not exist. Luckily, in the case that there are no good antemortem
samples, there’s a long list of other techniques that the examiner can
employ.
Facial Reconstruction
• Provided the skull is in a reasonable state, it may be possible to
reconstruct the face of an individual based on the skull by various
available methods to aid investigation of an individual. The process of
photosuperimposition is fairly rudimentary. A photograph of the skull
is taken and a photograph of an individual in life overlaid to determine
whether the features of the individual match those of the skull. This
technique is not always ideal, as the photograph of the individual must
be altered in size to match that of the skull, which may not always be
accurately possible.
• A little more complex, facial reconstruction essentially involves
rebuilding the likely facial features of an individual using a cast of the
skull as a baseline. The technique generally utilises facial markers
placed in specific locations on the skull and modelling clay, which is
intricately applied to the surface of the skull to the required depths to
simulate facial tissue, smoothed and coloured to resemble skin.
Further additions such as the nose, ears and lips will then be
constructed.
• Following this additional features such as prosthetic hair and eyes can
be added in attempts to reconstruct the facial features of the
individual. Of course when dealing with an entirely unidentified
victim certain presumptions must be made, such as the colour of a
person’s hair and eyes or the presence of facial hair. Even the depth of
tissues on an individual’s face can only be estimated to a certain
extent, as the underlying bone structure will not indicate this. The
technique of facial reconstruction may also be carried out using
sophisticated computer software if available.
 Injuries and Cause of Death
• By X-raying skeletal remains, it may be possible to obtain information that
could lead to both establishing a cause of death and even identifying an
individual. There may be evidence of injuries obtained earlier in life that have
left noticeable markings on the bones, for instance fractures and breakages or
even the presence of artificial bones. Furthermore, there may be evidence of
bone disease such as osteoporosis. Studying the teeth of the remains may
provide important clues, particularly if the individual had any distinguishing
dental features or dental work such as fillings carried out. All of this information
may be compared to the medical records of known individuals to aid in
confirming or disputing the identity of the skeletonised remains. Dental records
in particular often prove beneficial in identifying an individual who cannot be
identified by any other means, providing they have had dental work carried out
and have some dental records stored somewhere.