Way forward in the involvement of forensic anthropology in the identification of human remains

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ABSTRACT

Forensic anthropology should not continue to be the last resource in the identification of a forensic case. The methods to be applied in a forensic case are dictated by the state of preservation of the human remains. Forensic anthropologists (and other forensic stakeholders) should be aware of a broad spectrum of methods, their scope and limitations, to be able to perform or recommend all approaches necessary for a successful identification. The value of the so-called secondary identifiers, best designated as biological identifiers, should be reconsidered. The importance of objectivity, and impartiality will be emphasized. During a death investigation, forensic anthropologists should always formulate deductions on the biological aspects of the body before acquiring antemortem information of missing persons to avoid bias in conclusions. To illustrate our arguments, a case study is presented, where expertise in forensic anthropology has been crucial for the identification of a body in advanced state of decomposition. In this case, interdisciplinary collaborative efforts and use of multiple identifiers have led to a positive identification.

KEYWORDS:

• Identification
• forensic anthropology
• human remains
• advanced decomposition

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).