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Recognising a suicide bomber as part of the disaster victim identification process
Pathology (2011) 43(S1), pp. S23–S28
Forensic Pathology
RECOGNISING A SUICIDE BOMBER AS PART OF THE DISASTER VICTIM IDENTIFICATION PROCESS
Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine and the Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
Clive Cooke, Alanah Buck Forensic Pathology, PathWest, QEII Medical Centre, Perth, WA, Australia
The use of DNA analysis has become an integral part of forensic investigations, with many forensic laboratories relying on DNA to assist with criminal investigations as well as the identification of deceased persons. Since the late 1990 s, the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM) has provided DNA identification services for deceased persons to the Coroners Court of Victoria (CCOV), utilising nuclear DNA (nDNA) and/or mitochondrial DNA (mitDNA) in its analysis. Imperative to DNA analysis is not only the type of sample collected, but also the manner in which the sample is collected and ultimately processed. Through years of experience, the VIFM has optimised sample collection and analysis methods to achieve a high success rate for DNA profiling. In addition, the VIFM has developed standard operating procedures to minimise contamination during the collection of samples destined for DNA analysis during post-mortem examinations, as well as during the analysis process itself. nDNA analysis, in particular short tandem repeat (STR) analysis, is routinely used at the VIFM to generate DNA profiles for deceased persons and reference samples to assist in familial matching, and hence assist in the identification of the deceased person. The STR analysis is performed on 16 loci (15 autosomal and 1 sex determining loci) which provide sufficient discriminatory power to enable familial or kinship matching. In addition, the VIFM is accredited to perform mitDNA analysis for forensic applications. mitDNA is inherited through the maternal line, so unless a mutation has occurred, siblings and all maternal relatives share the same mitDNA sequence. Human mitDNA is comprised of a small circular genome (16,569 bp) that contains highly variable regions with sufficient variation to enable human identification. Its robustness has led to its use as a reliable forensic tool; in recent times enabling the analysis of human remains from casualties of war or mass disasters. Whilst it is not as informative as nDNA analysis, mitDNA is very useful when sufficient quantities of nDNA cannot be extracted for a case, be it from bone, teeth or decaying tissue. In recent years, mitDNA analysis has been used to assist in coronial case investigations ranging from missing persons, where putative mother/child relationship have been discounted or affirmed by mitDNA analysis, to homicides. Discussed will be the application of DNA analysis to forensic investigations at the VIFM to assist with coronial case and police investigations, from sample collection through to analysis.
Mass casualty events, where a suicide bomber is involved, usually result in widescale injuries and fragmentation. Following these incidents, identifying the bomber carrier is a primary objective of any investigation. The application of the principals of Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) at the scene and in the mortuary will ensure that all human remains are optimally recovered and examined with respect to the identification of the deceased and the investigation of the crime. A recent DVI/post-blast exercise completed in Western Australia will be used to illustrate the nature of typical ‘suicide bomber’ injuries and how proper application of the DVI process is vital to locating and identifying these types of offenders. Drawing on published accounts and their own recent experiences, the presenters will describe the typical features of explosive injuries, particularly as they relate to contact injuries typically seen in a suicide bomber. RETINAL HAEMORRHAGES IN INFANTS: CONTROVERSY AND CASES Daniel Moss1, Vicki Fabian2,3 1 Forensic Department, and 2Neuropathology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, and 3School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia Retinal haemorrhages in infants with a head and neck injury raise the possibility of non-accidental injury. Retinal haemorrhages also occur in a variety of other settings such as secondary to falls, raised intracranial pressure (Terson syndrome), coagulopathy and other blood disorders. The microscopic distribution of haemorrhages in the eye may indicate the aetiology of the haemorrhage. In trauma they are usually widespread, extend throughout the retinal layers into the periphery and involve the inner limiting membrane. There may be associated optic nerve and periorbital fat haemorrhage. However, it is becoming increasingly recognised that retinal haemorrhages alone are not diagnostic for non-accidental injury. Post-mortem neuropathology findings of a head and neck injury should also be considered in conjunction with other physical findings. We present four post-mortem cases aged 14 weeks, 4 months, 9 months and 2 years with retinal haemorrhages, head and neck injuries and histories ranging from a fall to the perpetrator pleading guilty to non-accidental injury. DNA ANALYSIS AND ITS APPLICATION TO FORENSIC INVESTIGATIONS AT THE VICTORIAN INSTITUTE OF FORENSIC MEDICINE Joy Beyer, Linda Benton, Zoe Bowman, Ashil Davawala, Jane Devenish-Meares, Olaf Drummer, Dadna Hartman, Andrew Schlenker, Michelle Spiden, April Stock Print ISSN 0031-3025/Online ISSN 1465-3931 DOI: 10.1097/01.PAT.0000394559.98130.e0
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TRAUMATIC AXONAL INJURY – AN UPDATE Vicki Fabian Neuropathology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, and School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) was originally described in patients with diffuse brain injury and coma without a mass lesion and
2011 Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia
Copyright © Royal College of pathologists of Australasia. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
Forensic Pathology
RECOGNISING A SUICIDE BOMBER AS PART OF THE DISASTER VICTIM IDENTIFICATION PROCESS
Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine and the Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
Clive Cooke, Alanah Buck Forensic Pathology, PathWest, QEII Medical Centre, Perth, WA, Australia
The use of DNA analysis has become an integral part of forensic investigations, with many forensic laboratories relying on DNA to assist with criminal investigations as well as the identification of deceased persons. Since the late 1990 s, the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM) has provided DNA identification services for deceased persons to the Coroners Court of Victoria (CCOV), utilising nuclear DNA (nDNA) and/or mitochondrial DNA (mitDNA) in its analysis. Imperative to DNA analysis is not only the type of sample collected, but also the manner in which the sample is collected and ultimately processed. Through years of experience, the VIFM has optimised sample collection and analysis methods to achieve a high success rate for DNA profiling. In addition, the VIFM has developed standard operating procedures to minimise contamination during the collection of samples destined for DNA analysis during post-mortem examinations, as well as during the analysis process itself. nDNA analysis, in particular short tandem repeat (STR) analysis, is routinely used at the VIFM to generate DNA profiles for deceased persons and reference samples to assist in familial matching, and hence assist in the identification of the deceased person. The STR analysis is performed on 16 loci (15 autosomal and 1 sex determining loci) which provide sufficient discriminatory power to enable familial or kinship matching. In addition, the VIFM is accredited to perform mitDNA analysis for forensic applications. mitDNA is inherited through the maternal line, so unless a mutation has occurred, siblings and all maternal relatives share the same mitDNA sequence. Human mitDNA is comprised of a small circular genome (16,569 bp) that contains highly variable regions with sufficient variation to enable human identification. Its robustness has led to its use as a reliable forensic tool; in recent times enabling the analysis of human remains from casualties of war or mass disasters. Whilst it is not as informative as nDNA analysis, mitDNA is very useful when sufficient quantities of nDNA cannot be extracted for a case, be it from bone, teeth or decaying tissue. In recent years, mitDNA analysis has been used to assist in coronial case investigations ranging from missing persons, where putative mother/child relationship have been discounted or affirmed by mitDNA analysis, to homicides. Discussed will be the application of DNA analysis to forensic investigations at the VIFM to assist with coronial case and police investigations, from sample collection through to analysis.
Mass casualty events, where a suicide bomber is involved, usually result in widescale injuries and fragmentation. Following these incidents, identifying the bomber carrier is a primary objective of any investigation. The application of the principals of Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) at the scene and in the mortuary will ensure that all human remains are optimally recovered and examined with respect to the identification of the deceased and the investigation of the crime. A recent DVI/post-blast exercise completed in Western Australia will be used to illustrate the nature of typical ‘suicide bomber’ injuries and how proper application of the DVI process is vital to locating and identifying these types of offenders. Drawing on published accounts and their own recent experiences, the presenters will describe the typical features of explosive injuries, particularly as they relate to contact injuries typically seen in a suicide bomber. RETINAL HAEMORRHAGES IN INFANTS: CONTROVERSY AND CASES Daniel Moss1, Vicki Fabian2,3 1 Forensic Department, and 2Neuropathology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, and 3School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia Retinal haemorrhages in infants with a head and neck injury raise the possibility of non-accidental injury. Retinal haemorrhages also occur in a variety of other settings such as secondary to falls, raised intracranial pressure (Terson syndrome), coagulopathy and other blood disorders. The microscopic distribution of haemorrhages in the eye may indicate the aetiology of the haemorrhage. In trauma they are usually widespread, extend throughout the retinal layers into the periphery and involve the inner limiting membrane. There may be associated optic nerve and periorbital fat haemorrhage. However, it is becoming increasingly recognised that retinal haemorrhages alone are not diagnostic for non-accidental injury. Post-mortem neuropathology findings of a head and neck injury should also be considered in conjunction with other physical findings. We present four post-mortem cases aged 14 weeks, 4 months, 9 months and 2 years with retinal haemorrhages, head and neck injuries and histories ranging from a fall to the perpetrator pleading guilty to non-accidental injury. DNA ANALYSIS AND ITS APPLICATION TO FORENSIC INVESTIGATIONS AT THE VICTORIAN INSTITUTE OF FORENSIC MEDICINE Joy Beyer, Linda Benton, Zoe Bowman, Ashil Davawala, Jane Devenish-Meares, Olaf Drummer, Dadna Hartman, Andrew Schlenker, Michelle Spiden, April Stock Print ISSN 0031-3025/Online ISSN 1465-3931 DOI: 10.1097/01.PAT.0000394559.98130.e0
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TRAUMATIC AXONAL INJURY – AN UPDATE Vicki Fabian Neuropathology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, and School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) was originally described in patients with diffuse brain injury and coma without a mass lesion and
2011 Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia
Copyright © Royal College of pathologists of Australasia. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.