Recovery of human remains after shark attack

Two cases of fatal shark attack are reported where the only tissues recovered were fragments of lung. Case 1: An 18-year-old male who was in the sea behind a boat was observed by friends to be taken by a great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias). The shark dragged him under the water and then, with a second shark, dismembered the body. Witnesses noted a large amount of blood and unrecognizable body parts coming to the surface. The only tissues recovered despite an intensive beach and sea search were 2 fragments of lung. Case 2: A 19-year-old male was attacked by a great white shark while diving. A witness saw the shark swim away with the victim's body in its mouth. Again, despite intensive beach and sea searches, the only tissue recovered was a single piece of lung, along with pieces of wetsuit and diving equipment. These cases indicate that the only tissue to escape being consumed or lost in fatal shark attacks, where there is a significant attack with dismemberment and disruption of the integrity of the body, may be lung. The buoyancy of aerated pulmonary tissue ensures that it rises quickly to the surface, where it may be recovered by searchers soon after the attack. Aeration of the lung would be in keeping with death from trauma rather than from drowning and may be a useful marker in unwitnessed deaths to separate ante- from postmortem injury, using only relatively small amounts of tissues. Early organ recovery enhances the identification of human tissues as the extent of morphologic alterations by putrefactive processes and sea scavengers will have been minimized. DNA testing is also possible on such recovered fragments, enabling confirmation of the identity of the victim.     

Identification and analysis of human remains recovered from wells from the 1991 War in Croatia

From 1996 to the present, the remains of 61 individuals killed during the 1991 War in Croatia were recovered from both dried out and functioning wells. Positive identification was established in 60.7% or 37/61 cases. Remains recovered from the same geographical region but from non-well settings were identified in 77.4% or 1256/1623 cases. The purpose of this paper is to report on the taphonomic, demographic and trauma characteristics of remains recovered from wells and identify factors responsible for the discrepancy in the identification ratios. The age and sex distributions in the well and non-well series were similar, as were the frequencies of recovered personal documents, jewelry and other artifacts. The taphonomic features of the remains were, however, significantly different. Preservation of remains was considerably better in non-well settings (1400/1623 or 86.3% compared to 40/61 or 65.5% in wells). Congruently, commingling of remains was more frequent in wells (26/61 or 42.6% compared to 77/1623 or 4.7% in non-well settings). In bodies recovered from non-well settings the preservation, state and commingling of the remains were strongly correlated with positive identification. None of these features were correlated with the identification of bodies from wells. Instead, identification of remains from wells was significantly affected by the presence or absence of water in the well. As both series have similar frequencies, and identical rankings of identification factors, the reason for the discrepancy in the identification ratios lies in the fact that by themselves, these factors were rarely sufficient for positive identification. In both series the majority of identifications (51.4% in the well, and 58.1% in the non-well series) were established through a combination of biological and non-biological features. The significantly lower identification ratio in the well series resulted from the difficult recovery conditions in wells with significant amounts of water, and the negative effect that water had on the preservation of clothing, personal artifacts and some dental features. Significant differences were also noted in the types and locations of perimortem traumas. There is a significantly higher frequency of entrance gunshot wounds to the back of the head, suggestive of execution style murders, in the well series.     

Analysis of an ancestry using cremated old human remains from the Korean War victims

Analysis of DNA from burnt bone fragment is the very hard work for the human identification in forensic casework. In general, cremated bone with an artificial damage is more difficult to get an intact DNA than a singed one because of the chemical and biological drastic changes such as protein denaturation and destruction. In this study, we pursue the best technical approach for the minimal damage and the contamination of DNA from other factors in the preconditioning and the extraction process based on over 70 years old Korean War victim skeletal that was burnt and buried in Korean Peninsula. First of all, we removed the pollutant and the dust from the burnt bones using dental instruments, and then incubated with EDTA buffer at 25 ℃ to remove inhibitors such as calcium and mineral. In order to compare the DNA preservation ability between a pellet and a supernatant, samples are repeatedly tested to collect washed EDTA buffer several times to separate. Each of isolated materials is secondly cleaned with the organic extraction method using phenol and analyzed mtDNA sequence with the in-house method for the ancestry assay. The better discrimination ability was appeared in the supernatant than the pellet. Nevertheless, many of the forensic geneticists use a powdering method for getting more DNA, we applied EDTA buffer in the preconditioning step to eliminate every contamination. As a result, the contamination factor was efficiently removed and the ancestry was estimated as per the written information. Consequently, cremated bone is identified to belong in the D4 mtDNA haplogroup which is commonly reported in ethnic groups in Asia especially Korea. This is a preliminary study of a human identification over an ancestry analysis to give information against a mass disaster in a future. Through a higher process optimization and better analytical methods toward more remains, which are genetically difficult to analyze, will support to examine the identity of the post cremated remains.     

Personal identification from human remains by mitochondrial DNA sequencing

The authors report four cases in which severely damaged human remains were identified by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing. Degraded DNA was extracted from highly adipoceratous tissues using the phenol-chloroform method and polymerase chain reaction amplified for sequencing of two hypervariable regions, hypervariable region 1 and hypervariable region 2, of mitochondrial DNA. They also sequenced these regions of blood samples that were obtained from the presumptive mother or sister of the human remains. The sequencing results were compared with each other and with the Anderson's sequence. It was concluded from the sequence data that a lower part of a body in case 1 and some organs in case 2 were from the same woman, and a human head in case 3 and a female body in case 4 were from the relative of a presumptive mother and a sister, respectively.     

Extraction and amplification of authentic DNA from ancient human remains

A total of 36 ancient human remains from 12 individuals (three tooth/bone samples each) and one sample each of three individuals from the newest time was typed in a blind study using the amelogenin sex test. Prior to this molecular sex determination the sex of the individual was determined morphologically. The success rate of the amelogenin amplifications was >90%. For every individual an unambiguous molecular sex typing result was obtained. Furthermore, the morphological and molecular sex determinations were in accordance with each other, giving evidence for the authenticity and ancient origin of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplifications.     

Analysis of pathological and non-pathological human skeletal remains by FT-IR spectroscopy

In this study, we report the chemical analyses of various non-pathological, tuberculosis and syphilis infected bone samples from different burial environments by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), in the framework of a general study of diagenesis. Dating human skeletal remains is one of the most important and yet unreliable aspects of forensic anthropology. In this paper, a new method has been suggested, using the crystallinity index and carbonate-phosphate index as a means of distinction between recent and archaeological, anthropological bone samples. Pathological bone samples were analyzed with the same method to see if changes in crystallinity interfere with the process of dating.     

Osteometric sorting of commingled human remains

This paper describes the method of osteometric sorting. Osteometric sorting is the formal use of size and shape to sort bones from one another. The method relies heavily on measurement data and statistical models and is designed to maximize objectivity. The goal of this paper is to validate the use of osteometric sorting and to provide case examples of its utility. Selected regression models are also presented for use with osteometric sorting. We advocate this technique as one tool among many in the anthropologist's toolkit for sorting commingled skeletal remains.     

Highly efficient and automated extraction of DNA from human remains using a modified EZ1 protocol

Bones and teeth often represent the only sources of DNA available for identifying human remains. DNA in bones and teeth is generally better preserved than that in soft tissues because of the presence of hard connective tissue with a high level of calcium. Because of the extensive mineralisation, the choice of an efficient DNA extraction procedure is important to minimise the sampling of a high level of minerals and to remove polymerase chain reaction (PCR) inhibitors. Some protocols are available for DNA extraction from bones and teeth as part of the Qiagen EZ1 DNA Investigator Kit using the EZ1 Advanced XL automated purification platform. To improve the efficiency of DNA extraction from skeletal remains, the present study focuses on a modification to these already available protocols. In this study, different bones and teeth collected between 1 and 50 years after death were subjected to DNA extraction using the standard EZ1 protocol, a supplementary protocol, and a modified protocol. The modified approach included a decalcification step, whereas the Qiagen protocols worked directly on non-decalcified powder. In all three procedures, 150 mg samples were used for DNA extraction. We evaluated the quantity of DNA recovered from samples, the presence of any PCR inhibitors co-extracted, the level of DNA degradation, the quality of short tandem repeat (STR) profiles, and the reproducibility of the modified procedure. When compared with the other protocols, the modified protocol resulted in the best recovery of DNA that was free of PCR inhibitors. Additionally, the STR profiles were reliable and of high quality. In our opinion, the decalcification step increases DNA recovery by softening tissues, which allows lysis solutions to act more effectively. Furthermore, the use of two lysis solutions and the variation added to the EZ1 purification step allow for DNA recovery with quality and quantity superior to those of the previously available Qiagen-based protocols. These findings may be helpful solutions to the problems commonly encountered when dealing with difficult samples, such as bones and teeth.

Key points

• Bones and teeth often represent the only sources of DNA for identifying human remains.
• The choice of an efficient DNA extraction procedure is important for maximizing DNA recovery and removing PCR inhibitors.
• This study focuses on modifications to the previously available Qiagen-based protocols.
• The modified protocol enabled the best recovery of DNA, and both quality and quantity were superior to those of the previously available Qiagen-based protocols.
• The STR profiles obtained from samples extracted using the modified protocol were reliable and of high quality.

     

Potential confusion arising from materials presenting as possible human remains.

The accurate identification of human tissues is an important part of forensic science, but may be difficult when specimens are small, fragmented, or burned. A wide variety of materials may be submitted as human, including parts of animals and nonorganic materials. Two cases involving a plastic fetal skeleton and a rubber fetus are described, which were initially considered to represent human remains, thus initiating police investigations for possible concealed stillbirth or infanticide. In one case, the remains were so deceptively real in appearance that hospital personnel initiated fibroblast cultures from an "umbilical cord". A third case of mineral concretions that resembled a human hand is also described. These cases demonstrate that protocols should be in place for the rapid assessment of all suspected human remains by pathologists, so that nonhuman material can be rapidly excluded, and police investigations terminated.     

Cocaine in decomposed human remains.

From March 1988 through March 1990, at the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office toxicology laboratory, samples from 77 decomposed human bodies were tested for the presence of cocaine, employing gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The material analyzed included decomposed soft tissue, bloody decomposition fluid, mummified tissue, maggots, and beetle feces. Twenty-two cases (28.6%) were positive for cocaine, many of these cases in states of advanced decomposition. These findings indicate the usefulness of testing decomposed tissue for cocaine in all cases where its presence is suspected. This is contrary to what might be expected, since cocaine is generally labile and rapidly broken down by both enzymatic and nonenzymatic mechanisms.     

Spatial patterning of vulture scavenged human remains

This article presents the results of a pilot study on the effects of vulture modification to human remains. A donated body from the Willed Body Donation Program was placed at the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF), an outdoor human decomposition laboratory located at Texas State University-San Marcos. The effects of vulture scavenging on the timing and sequence, and the rate of skeletonization, disarticulation, and dispersal were observed via a motion sensing camera and direct observation. Using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and GPS (Global Positioning System) technologies and spatial analytical methods, the transport of skeletal elements was mapped in order to analyze dispersal and terrain-influenced patterns of active vulture scavenging. Results showed that the initial scavenging took place 37 days after placement at FARF. This delay in scavenging differs from previous research. After the initial appearance of the vultures, the body was reduced from a fully-fleshed individual to a skeleton within only 5h. This underscores the potential for errors in postmortem interval estimations made at vulture scavenged scenes. Additionally, spatial analysis showed that skeletal elements were dispersed by vultures to lower elevations, and that the disarticulation and dispersal of the skeletal elements occurs early in the scavenging sequence.     

Odor analysis of decomposing buried human remains

This study, conducted at the University of Tennessee's Anthropological Research Facility (ARF), lists and ranks the primary chemical constituents which define the odor of decomposition of human remains as detected at the soil surface of shallow burial sites. Triple sorbent traps were used to collect air samples in the field and revealed eight major classes of chemicals which now contain 478 specific volatile compounds associated with burial decomposition. Samples were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and were collected below and above the body, and at the soil surface of 1.5-3.5 ft. (0.46-1.07 m) deep burial sites of four individuals over a 4-year time span. New data were incorporated into the previously established Decompositional Odor Analysis (DOA) Database providing identification, chemical trends, and semi-quantitation of chemicals for evaluation. This research identifies the "odor signatures" unique to the decomposition of buried human remains with projected ramifications on human remains detection canine training procedures and in the development of field portable analytical instruments which can be used to locate human remains in shallow burial sites.     

Typing of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extracted from compact bone from human remains.

The application of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) typing methods for the potential identification of unknown human remains was investigated. DNA was isolated from compact bone tissue from badly decomposed bodies and from known and unknown human remains, using a decalcification and ion wash procedure. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) loci yielded results in some cases, but more often the DNA was too degraded to produce RFLP patterns. No RFLP profiles could be obtained from putrefied soft tissues. However, DNA extracted from compact bone tissue of human remains up to eleven years old was successfully amplified using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the VNTR loci D1S80, D17S5, COL2A1, and APO B, as well as the HLA-DQ alpha locus. This is especially significant, since PCR results were obtained from those samples whose DNA had been degraded substantially and had yielded no RFLP patterns. All DNA types determined from the compact bone tissue from decomposed bodies whose identification had been established first by other means (and whose parents or offspring were available for typing) demonstrated mendelian inheritance of the alleles of the loci analyzed. These results suggest that amplification and typing of DNA extracted from compact bone of human remains could be useful in establishing the identity of a person, as well as in excluding possible false identifications.     

Identification of decomposed human remains from radiographic comparisons of an unusual foot deformity

A case of positive identification from decomposed human remains using an unusual foot deformity is presented. Scrutiny of the decedent revealed foot deformities, which upon examination, prompted further inquiry. Radiographic comparisons and defleshing each foot established bilateral talipes equinovarus (TEV, clubfoot). Positive identification was based upon unique skeletal features present in the radiographs.     

Using accumulated degree-days to estimate the postmortem interval from decomposed human remains

Forensic anthropologists often rely on the state of decomposition to estimate the postmortem interval (PMI) in a human remains case. The state of decomposition can provide much information about the PMI, especially when decomposition is treated as a semi-continuous variable and used in conjunction with accumulated-degree-days (ADD). This preliminary study demonstrates a supplemental method of determining the PMI based on scoring decomposition using a point-based system and taking into account temperatures in which the remains were exposed. This project was designed to examine the ways that forensic anthropologists could improve their PMI estimates based on decomposition by using a more quantitative approach. A total of 68 human remains cases with a known date of death were scored for decomposition and a regression equation was calculated to predict ADD from decomposition score. ADD accounts for approximately 80% of the variation in decomposition. This study indicates that decomposition is best modeled as dependent on accumulated temperature, not just time.     

Managing commingled remains from mass graves: considerations, implications and recommendations from a human rights case in Chile

This paper focuses on a little discussed part of Chilean history and the efforts to resolve Human Rights cases from the period 1973 to 1990. A case file is presented to illustrate the different stages, problems and solutions found in one particularly challenging case studied by the Special Unit of Identification of Detained and Missing (UEIDDDD) of the Human Rights Program of the Forensic Service, Chile, during the period 2006-2009. A major complication found in this example was the fact that the remains studied were commingled, and in addition, were mixed with remains that were not of medico-legal interest - deposited prior to and after the case in question, but within the same common grave. Multiple burials and the consequences of commingled skeletal human remains are reviewed, paying special attention to the roles that different agents related to these types of cases play, how they influence the decision making process and the outcomes that can be expected in commingled cases due to the complexities and challenges they present. Effective communication between prosecutors and forensic practitioners is vital to optimize the resources. Equally important is the relationship that is built between the practitioners and the victims' families regarding communication, information and expectations that both parties may have.