Postmortem Identification

It is the medical examiner's responsibility to determine the identity of the individual upon whom a postmortem examination is performed. The ideal result is a positive identification, which is based on objective evidence and there is no doubt about the identity of the deceased. In some cases, a positive identification cannot be made due to various factors. In these cases, a presumptive identification must be made in order to continue with the death investigation and the disposition of the remains.

The most rewarding task performed by the medical examiner 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, any investigation is hindered. Also, this can 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 trouble identifying the individual. They are usually presented with a nondecomposed 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 use of fingerprints for personal identification was adopted by the New York City Civil Service Commission and later by the FBI. The FBI now has the largest collection of fingerprints in the world. However, an antemortem (before death) record of fingerprints must exist in order to establish identity of the deceased using their fingerprints. If the victim was fingerprinted before starting their job or even if they had been arrested, an antemortem record of their fingerprints would exist. This antemortem record is then compared to the set of fingerprints taken by the medical examiner after their death. This set is referred to as a postmortem record. For more information on fingerprints, go here. http://www.crimemuseum.org/library/forensics/fingerprints.html

Dental Records
The second 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 desirable dental record and if these records exist then a positive identification can be made. Bone structures of the jaw, roots of the teeth, as well as sinuses are present and are unique for each individual. Information gathered from dental records is very useful in forensic odontology. Forensic odontology is "a branch of forensic science that deals with the handling, examination, and presentation of dental evidence in court." As mentioned above, 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. For more information about forensic odontology, go here.

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. DNA was first applied in forensics in the 1980s. In order to establish identity using DNA, postmortem samples such as blood, hair with root bulb, skin, and bone marrow, should be retained 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, 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 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 such as gender, age, race, 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 as to the identity of the individual. Also, depending on the circumstances, the location where the body was found can be a key piece of evidence. If the body was found inside a home or a car registered to a specific person, then we should be able 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 but there's a long list of other techniques that can be employed in the instance that other samples are unattainable.

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