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.