Wednesday 27 November 2013
Epilogue Part 3
BUKIT JALIL: Three bodies were discovered at a small bushy area three weeks ago by a jogger were identified as a 9-year-old girl,Anya Suriati, Herman Hartono and his son, Aidi Hartono. "The DNA profiling pattern of the young girl matched her twin,"said the medical examiner, Dr. Rudi Kurniawan. Early Wednesday morning, a 43-year-old man, Mahendra was arrested for the kidnap and murder. "Mahendra told us that Herman was his accomplice. They kidnapped Anya from the bus stop, near her house when she was waiting for her mother"said Dr. Suria Nuresh. However, the kidnappers were not happy with the splitting of ransom money and had a fight. Mahendra stabbed his partner, Herman Hartono and then shot Herman and his son, Adi Hartono who witnessed and recorded everything with his cell phone, with a gun. After that, he chopped the bodies into several pieces and dumped them in the park. Mahendra will appear in court on December 20th, according to the affidavit.
Tuesday 5 November 2013
The Epilogue Part 1
In the wee hours of the
morning, Anya Suriati was waiting at the bus stop for her mum to pick her up,
after her tuition class has just ended. It was a bright sunny morning and Anya
was looking forward to spend some quality time with her twin sister, Tanya. Suddenly
as she looked to her side, she noticed a middle-aged, decent looking man
looking at her with a pleasant and warm smile on his face. Not knowing the true
meaning of ‘danger’, she happily accepted some sweets from this mysterious man.
The stranger seemed to have taken a liking to her, and kept their conversations
going on, with questions which are getting more and more personal. Out of the
blue, she felt her vision getting blur-ish, and her strength have left her
body. She immediately knew danger as the warm pleasant smile on the stranger’s
face, and turned into a nasty grin. Nevertheless, as a 9-year-old kid without
any self-defensive ability, her efforts were seemingly futile. She tried to
scream her lungs out for help but no voice seems leave her mouth, in the end,
it was all no use. Ever since then, Anya Suriati was never seen or heard from
ever again. It was only until six months later when a landslide occurred…
Saturday 19 October 2013
Question 5 (Part 3): Matching the Photos of Victims with Evidences
Question 5!
Here comes the most exciting part of the investigation…to
match the evidences collected with their respective victims. Although we still
can’t be 100% sure whether our hypothesis is true, we are coming closer in
resolving the case.
Below is the list of possible victims that might be involved
in this case.
- . Herman Hartono
- . Adi Hartono (son of Herman Hartono)
- . Anya Suriati (9-year old twin sister to Tanya Rosilawati)
So let us start from evidence one! As we have mentioned
above in question 4, the most significant feature we can see from evidence one is
the presence of third molar on both left and right side of the mandible. The
shape of the skull which portrays rounded supraorbital ridge leads us to
conclude that the skull belongs to a male victim. Hence, we can now say that evidence
one can be the remnants of either Herman Hartono or Adi Hartono who have both
reach adulthood.
Evidence 2 shows the presence of three molars on the right
side of the mandible which is a distinct feature of the jaw. Besides, the angle
of the mandible is more acute with a prominent gonial eversion. All these
features lead to the conclusion of a male adult victim. Therefore, there are
only two possible victims that we can consider, which are Herman Hartono and
Adi Hartono.
Evidence 3 shows a child’s mandible with erupted mandibular canine.
Due to the low resolution of the picture, we couldn’t distinguish and confirm
whether the canine is a deciduous or permanent canine until a detailed study of
the tooth morphology is done. However, in this case we can assume that it is a
permanent canine as permanent canine erupts at the age of 9-10 years old.
Besides, Anya is the only possible child victim that we have, thus we can
deduce that this jaw belongs to Anya Suriati who is 9 years old.
In conclusion, the only victim that we can confidently match the
evidences is Anya Suriati. Further investigations certainly need to be done to
differentiate between Herman Hartono and Adi Hartono’s remnants.
Question 6: Matching the Evidence
So here comes the question before the finale, how do we match the evidences collected with the suspected victims reported missing?
From the bone remains and skull fragments obtained by The Dental Tooth Fairies from the crime scene, DNA samples of the victims are able to be extracted and collected. After that, we are able to generate DNA fingerprints for the victims via a technique called DNA Profiling.
(Watch the above video to get a clearer picture on DNA fingerprints and how they are generated)
* Note : All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely fictional. All photos published are credited and used solely as examples. All DNA samples are purely fictional.
Looking into Adi Hartono and Herman Hartono's case, we know that they are paternally linked. But how do we prove that? And how can we prove that the skull fragments and bone remains belong to them?
Based on the evidence found in the crime scene, we can conclude that one of the bone remains belonged to a young male adult. From the DNA sample extracted from it, we are able to create a DNA fingerprint of the young male adult, as seen below. Finally in order to confirm that the bone remains actually belonged to Adi Hartono, we make another DNA fingerprint based on any DNA samples collected from his room, such as hair, saliva, skin, blood and even semen too, or maybe even from his family doctor whom have his blood samples. If the DNA sample from the crime scene and DNA sample of Adi Hartono matches 100%, then we can conclude that the bone remains actually belonged to Adi Hartono.
Using the same method, we can do the same for the other DNA sample found on the bone remains of the male adult. Assuming the same procedures have been conducted, DNA sample of the male adult bone remains is compared with the DNA sample of the Herman Hartono. If both DNA fingerprints matches, then we can conclude that the bone remains belonged to Herman Hartono.
Ok, now to confirm whether Adi Hartono and Herman Hartono are biological father and son. As shown below, we have 3 DNA fingerprints prepared by the Dental Tooth Fairies. The extra DNA fingerprint is obtained from a DNA sample collected from Ms. Hartono (Adi Hartono's biological mother, Herman Hartono's wife).
As we know, there was DNA profiling pattern that matched one living twin (Tanya Rosilawati). Since identical twins have almost identical DNA, we can conclude that the child’s jaw remains belong to Tanya’s twin, Anya Suriati.
How are twins formed?
During sexual intercourse, a single sperm meets a single egg. The cells divide and expand as the zygote travels to the uterus. Occasionally, for reasons unknown, the cell divides into two parts that develop as two distinct individuals, creating monozygotic twins. Technically, we consider the reason for the split as mutation.
Identical twins’ DNA varies?
Research in 2005 found that all identical twins may actually differ genetically from their partners to some degree. Geneticist Carl Bruder et al reported results of a study of nineteen identical twins. The team found relatively common, but small, differences in the DNA of these identical twins. For some twins, one twin had a different number of copies of a given gene than his twin. This condition is called 'copy number variant' or CNV.
Fun Facts about GENES!
Theoretically, identical twins develop from monozygotic cell division will share the same genetic profile. However, science and technology in this 21st century has proven it to be not quite accurate in some cases. In February 2008, geneticist Carl Bruder of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, reported results of a study of nineteen identical twins. Bruder and his team discovered relatively common, but small, differences in the DNA of these identical twins. What happens is one twin’s DNA differed from the other at various points on their genomes, i.e.one twin had a different number of copies of a given gene than his twin. This genetic state is known as 'copy number variant' or CNV.
From the bone remains and skull fragments obtained by The Dental Tooth Fairies from the crime scene, DNA samples of the victims are able to be extracted and collected. After that, we are able to generate DNA fingerprints for the victims via a technique called DNA Profiling.
(Watch the above video to get a clearer picture on DNA fingerprints and how they are generated)
* Note : All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely fictional. All photos published are credited and used solely as examples. All DNA samples are purely fictional.
Looking into Adi Hartono and Herman Hartono's case, we know that they are paternally linked. But how do we prove that? And how can we prove that the skull fragments and bone remains belong to them?
Based on the evidence found in the crime scene, we can conclude that one of the bone remains belonged to a young male adult. From the DNA sample extracted from it, we are able to create a DNA fingerprint of the young male adult, as seen below. Finally in order to confirm that the bone remains actually belonged to Adi Hartono, we make another DNA fingerprint based on any DNA samples collected from his room, such as hair, saliva, skin, blood and even semen too, or maybe even from his family doctor whom have his blood samples. If the DNA sample from the crime scene and DNA sample of Adi Hartono matches 100%, then we can conclude that the bone remains actually belonged to Adi Hartono.
Using the same method, we can do the same for the other DNA sample found on the bone remains of the male adult. Assuming the same procedures have been conducted, DNA sample of the male adult bone remains is compared with the DNA sample of the Herman Hartono. If both DNA fingerprints matches, then we can conclude that the bone remains belonged to Herman Hartono.
Ok, now to confirm whether Adi Hartono and Herman Hartono are biological father and son. As shown below, we have 3 DNA fingerprints prepared by the Dental Tooth Fairies. The extra DNA fingerprint is obtained from a DNA sample collected from Ms. Hartono (Adi Hartono's biological mother, Herman Hartono's wife).
Observe the DNA bands carefully.
From your observation, you will be able to find that some of the DNA bands from Adi match with Herman's DNA bands and the rest of Adi's DNA bands match with his biological mother, Mrs. Hartono's DNA bands. It can be concluded that all DNA bands inherited in a child's profile are inherited from his parents. Hence, we can conclude that Adi Hartono and Herman Hartono are blood related and Herman Hartono is Adi Hartono's biological father.
As we know, there was DNA profiling pattern that matched one living twin (Tanya Rosilawati). Since identical twins have almost identical DNA, we can conclude that the child’s jaw remains belong to Tanya’s twin, Anya Suriati.
How are twins formed?
During sexual intercourse, a single sperm meets a single egg. The cells divide and expand as the zygote travels to the uterus. Occasionally, for reasons unknown, the cell divides into two parts that develop as two distinct individuals, creating monozygotic twins. Technically, we consider the reason for the split as mutation.
Identical twins’ DNA varies?
Research in 2005 found that all identical twins may actually differ genetically from their partners to some degree. Geneticist Carl Bruder et al reported results of a study of nineteen identical twins. The team found relatively common, but small, differences in the DNA of these identical twins. For some twins, one twin had a different number of copies of a given gene than his twin. This condition is called 'copy number variant' or CNV.
Fun Facts about GENES!
Theoretically, identical twins develop from monozygotic cell division will share the same genetic profile. However, science and technology in this 21st century has proven it to be not quite accurate in some cases. In February 2008, geneticist Carl Bruder of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, reported results of a study of nineteen identical twins. Bruder and his team discovered relatively common, but small, differences in the DNA of these identical twins. What happens is one twin’s DNA differed from the other at various points on their genomes, i.e.one twin had a different number of copies of a given gene than his twin. This genetic state is known as 'copy number variant' or CNV.
How is it so? At first when the fertilized egg is divided into two, identical genetic profile of 100% similarity is seen. The initial divided fertilized egg will form two cells which mean at the beginning the DNA is identical. However, in order for the egg cell to form into embryo, millions or even trillions of cell division must occur. In between the process of cell division, the cells can make mistakes in the number of copies of a given gene passing to the daughter cells, which is the so-called mutation. However, such mutation could not actually being spotted upon DNA analysis. Hence, that’s how twins sometimes can reach different numbers of copies of a gene and why some identical twins’ DNA are almost identical but not fully identical.
As you can see in this picture, you can note the slight difference between each twins’ DNA profile. For individuals in B and C, you can see that there are more similarities in the DNA profiling whereas sometimes due to CNV, you can expect results in A and D.
References
http://www.livescience.com/4833-identical-twins-dna-varies.html
http://www.wonderquest.com/twins-dna.htm
http://multiples.about.com/od/funfacts/a/Identical-Twins-And-Dna.htm
As you can see in this picture, you can note the slight difference between each twins’ DNA profile. For individuals in B and C, you can see that there are more similarities in the DNA profiling whereas sometimes due to CNV, you can expect results in A and D.
References
http://www.livescience.com/4833-identical-twins-dna-varies.html
http://www.wonderquest.com/twins-dna.htm
http://multiples.about.com/od/funfacts/a/Identical-Twins-And-Dna.htm
Saturday 12 October 2013
Question 4: Let’s uncover the secrets hidden in bones!
So, other than identifying the victim by dental means, what other ways can the identity be revealed? In many criminal cases, forensic anthropology made an obvious contribution in identification of the victim.
Anthropology is the scientific study of the origin, the behavior and the physical, social and cultural development of the humans. Forensic anthropologists are trained to identify human remains along with pathologists, homicide detectives and other specialists.
Roles of a forensic anthropologist:
1. Aids in collection and analysis of human remains
2. Identifies victims beyond recognition (normally victims are examined in the late stages of decomposition i.e. completely skeletonized)
3. Estimates time since death
4. Establishment of injuries and potentially cause of death
“Bones offer amazing clues”
Human remains may give some clues for these aspects:
-Sex
-Ethnicity
-Stature, weight and individual differences
-Facial reconstruction
-DNA
J Age J
As an individual ages, ossification (fusing of separate pieces of bone) occurs in around 800 points around the body. As the bones fuse together, sutures are formed in between them, appearing as ‘zigzag seams’. The fusion of particular bones generally occurs at specific points in an individual’s life. From here, the age of the individual can be estimated.
Bone plate
Around the age of 6, two bone plates form at either end of the radius bone in the arm. The lower bone plate fuses with the radius years later, at age 17 in males and age 20 in females. The upper bone plate follows shortly after.
Fusing of epiphysis (rounded end of bone) to diaphysis (bone shaft)
Growth centers within the limb bones allow the limbs to lengthen for growth. Throughout this period, the epiphyses are soft, eventually hardening into bone and fusing with the main shaft as adulthood approaches. The head of the femur generally fuses at age 18-20, and part of the hip fuses at around age 24. After this point, the study of this fusing is fairly useless in age determination.
Cranial sutures (on the skull)
At birth, the human skull is composed of numerous smaller bone segments, their division giving the skull flexibility. As the individual ages, ossification occurs. It is useful in age estimation only if the victim is <30 years old, after which ossification of skull bones is usually complete.
Cartilage
Some sections of cartilage around the body gradually turn into bone at a particular age (e.g. the wrists). If the victim is < age of 13, a wrist x-ray can often pinpoint the child’s age.
Pubic symphysis (the midline joint between the left and right pubic bones)
The two pubic bones, joined by cartilage, are characterized by a rough, uneven surface which gradually smoothens out over time.
Osteon counting by microscopy
Osteons are minute tunnels within the bone housing nerves and nutrient-providing blood vessels. In general, the more osteons present in the bone, the older the victim.
Dentures, worn teeth, signs of bone degeneration, arthritis, osteoporosis (increased bone porosity) can indicate old age. Tooth eruption date can also help in determining age, particularly in younger individuals.
J Age of remains J
The age of bones can be established by carbon dating. The radioisotope carbon-14 is taken up by humans in life. As the half-life of carbon-14 is known as being 5,700 years, the amount of the isotope remaining in the sample can be used to calculate its age. Hence, time since death can be estimated. This not only narrows down the time frame, but often also the range of suspects. However, if the remains are completely skeletonized, determining time since death based on the bones may be extremely difficult.
J Sex J
The most obvious feature that helps to differentiate between two genders is the pelvic bone. Women generally have proportionally wider pubic bones than men to allow room for a baby’s head to pass through during childbirth. In most cases a female will bear a sub-pubic angle of >90 degrees, whilst the sub-pubic angle of a male’s pubic bone will generally be <90 degrees. The use of the pelvic bone alone has proved extremely precise in establishing sex, with an accuracy of up to 95% (Byers, 2002). However, this is not a useful indicator when determining the sex of a pre-pubescent child, as the pelvic bone in girls is yet to widen, thus meaning there is a lack of sexual dimorphism between the sexes.
The skull is also beneficial in sex determination, though slightly less accurate than the pelvic bone [80-90% using the skull, according to Byers (2002)]. We had discussed about the differences between a male skull and a female skull earlier in Part 1.
Besides, males tend to have larger, heavier, and more rugged bones in general, with slightly larger ends to support stronger muscles. Sex is generally easier to establish if the racial background of the victim is known, due to differences between different ethnic groups.
J Ethnicity J
A Caucasian victim
- narrower face and high-bridged nasal bone
- flat lingual surface in upper incisors
- prominent chin and flat cheekbones
A Negroid victim
- broader nose bridge with wider nasal openings and subnasal grooves
- outward-sloping jaws
- flat lingual surface in upper incisors
A Mongoloid victim
- broader face
- squarer, forward-sloping, wing-like cheekbones
- lower nose bridge
- shovel-shaped upper incisors
- flatter skull
The morphology of hair between different ethnicities varies. Thus, the structure and colour of any remaining hair may indicate the ethnic origin of the victim. However, the remains of mixed-race victim are likely to display signs of two ethnic groups, making the deduction of race much more difficult.
-if the skeleton is whole, direct measurement may be used to
establish the rough height, with a few inches added to account for flesh.
Reference:
Picture from www.forensicscsi.com
Anthropology is the scientific study of the origin, the behavior and the physical, social and cultural development of the humans. Forensic anthropologists are trained to identify human remains along with pathologists, homicide detectives and other specialists.
1. Aids in collection and analysis of human remains
2. Identifies victims beyond recognition (normally victims are examined in the late stages of decomposition i.e. completely skeletonized)
3. Estimates time since death
4. Establishment of injuries and potentially cause of death
“Bones offer amazing clues”Human remains may give some clues for these aspects:
-Sex
-Ethnicity
-Stature, weight and individual differences
-Facial reconstruction
-DNA
J Age J
As an individual ages, ossification (fusing of separate pieces of bone) occurs in around 800 points around the body. As the bones fuse together, sutures are formed in between them, appearing as ‘zigzag seams’. The fusion of particular bones generally occurs at specific points in an individual’s life. From here, the age of the individual can be estimated.
Bone plate
Around the age of 6, two bone plates form at either end of the radius bone in the arm. The lower bone plate fuses with the radius years later, at age 17 in males and age 20 in females. The upper bone plate follows shortly after.
Fusing of epiphysis (rounded end of bone) to diaphysis (bone shaft)
Growth centers within the limb bones allow the limbs to lengthen for growth. Throughout this period, the epiphyses are soft, eventually hardening into bone and fusing with the main shaft as adulthood approaches. The head of the femur generally fuses at age 18-20, and part of the hip fuses at around age 24. After this point, the study of this fusing is fairly useless in age determination.
Cranial sutures (on the skull)
At birth, the human skull is composed of numerous smaller bone segments, their division giving the skull flexibility. As the individual ages, ossification occurs. It is useful in age estimation only if the victim is <30 years old, after which ossification of skull bones is usually complete.
Cartilage
Some sections of cartilage around the body gradually turn into bone at a particular age (e.g. the wrists). If the victim is < age of 13, a wrist x-ray can often pinpoint the child’s age.
Pubic symphysis (the midline joint between the left and right pubic bones)
The two pubic bones, joined by cartilage, are characterized by a rough, uneven surface which gradually smoothens out over time.
Osteon counting by microscopy
Osteons are minute tunnels within the bone housing nerves and nutrient-providing blood vessels. In general, the more osteons present in the bone, the older the victim.
Dentures, worn teeth, signs of bone degeneration, arthritis, osteoporosis (increased bone porosity) can indicate old age. Tooth eruption date can also help in determining age, particularly in younger individuals.
J Age of remains J
The age of bones can be established by carbon dating. The radioisotope carbon-14 is taken up by humans in life. As the half-life of carbon-14 is known as being 5,700 years, the amount of the isotope remaining in the sample can be used to calculate its age. Hence, time since death can be estimated. This not only narrows down the time frame, but often also the range of suspects. However, if the remains are completely skeletonized, determining time since death based on the bones may be extremely difficult.
J Sex J
The most obvious feature that helps to differentiate between two genders is the pelvic bone. Women generally have proportionally wider pubic bones than men to allow room for a baby’s head to pass through during childbirth. In most cases a female will bear a sub-pubic angle of >90 degrees, whilst the sub-pubic angle of a male’s pubic bone will generally be <90 degrees. The use of the pelvic bone alone has proved extremely precise in establishing sex, with an accuracy of up to 95% (Byers, 2002). However, this is not a useful indicator when determining the sex of a pre-pubescent child, as the pelvic bone in girls is yet to widen, thus meaning there is a lack of sexual dimorphism between the sexes.
The skull is also beneficial in sex determination, though slightly less accurate than the pelvic bone [80-90% using the skull, according to Byers (2002)]. We had discussed about the differences between a male skull and a female skull earlier in Part 1.
Besides, males tend to have larger, heavier, and more rugged bones in general, with slightly larger ends to support stronger muscles. Sex is generally easier to establish if the racial background of the victim is known, due to differences between different ethnic groups.
J Ethnicity J
A Caucasian victim
- narrower face and high-bridged nasal bone
- flat lingual surface in upper incisors
- prominent chin and flat cheekbones
A Negroid victim
- broader nose bridge with wider nasal openings and subnasal grooves
- outward-sloping jaws
- flat lingual surface in upper incisors
A Mongoloid victim
- broader face
- squarer, forward-sloping, wing-like cheekbones
- lower nose bridge
- shovel-shaped upper incisors
- flatter skull
The morphology of hair between different ethnicities varies. Thus, the structure and colour of any remaining hair may indicate the ethnic origin of the victim. However, the remains of mixed-race victim are likely to display signs of two ethnic groups, making the deduction of race much more difficult.
J Stature, Weight &
Individual Differences J
stature identification
stature identification
-if the skeleton is whole, direct measurement may be used to
establish the rough height, with a few inches added to account for flesh.
-established using a formula based around the length of a long
bone such as humerus or femur ( Human generally has height two and two thirds
length of femur)
-approximated by a measurement from fingertip to fingertip of
outstretched arm
Weight
-difficult to establish as layers of fat leave
no markings on the bones. However, well developed muscles will leave markers on
the bones. ( The more they are used, the rougher the bone’s surface becomes to anchor the
tendons of the muscle in use)
-any clothing found worn by the victim may
indicate their clothes size and so their weight.
Individual Differences
-through medical and dental records (certain
diseases, previous injuries, and birth defects can all leave marks on the
bones)
-body implants (artificial hips and breast
implants) often hold a unique serial number
J Facial Reconstruction J
It is the method of reconstructing the living face of an individual from skeletal remains.
It is the method of reconstructing the living face of an individual from skeletal remains.
1.the skull is cleaned of any
remaining tissue in preparation for the reconstruction.
2.A number of round, rubber
markers are placed at specific points on the skull. (These landmarks are used to
indicate the depth of flesh in these locations, their depth being dependent on
the likes of sex, age, race, and the presumed weight of the individual.)
3.Strips
of clay join these landmarks, with more clay applied in between to act as the
‘flesh’ of the face.(Facial muscles are laid over the flesh, their structures
and sizes based on the shape and size of particular facial bones.)
4.External
features are then added, such as eyes, ears and a nose.
5.the skin is
coloured and an appropriate hair colour and style selected.
J DNAJ
If a forensic anthropologist has been called upon, the remains are most likely skeletonised, meaning bodily tissues have decayed. In these situations, it is highly unlikely that nuclear DNA can be extracted. However it may be possible that mitochondrial DNA can be utilised to create a DNA profile. Mitochondrial DNA, or mtDNA, is transmitted through the maternal line, meaning an individual’s mitochondrial DNA originated from their mother. Though not as valuable, mtDNA is much more resilient, and can sometimes be extracted from severely decayed corpses.
If a forensic anthropologist has been called upon, the remains are most likely skeletonised, meaning bodily tissues have decayed. In these situations, it is highly unlikely that nuclear DNA can be extracted. However it may be possible that mitochondrial DNA can be utilised to create a DNA profile. Mitochondrial DNA, or mtDNA, is transmitted through the maternal line, meaning an individual’s mitochondrial DNA originated from their mother. Though not as valuable, mtDNA is much more resilient, and can sometimes be extracted from severely decayed corpses.
Reference:
Question 5 (Part 2): Possible further investigations
Question 5: Part 2
Considering the evidences available up to this point in time, describe in detail how you would go about investigating further, assuming you are Dr. Rudi or Dr. Suria, explaining what you anticipate at each step.
The video below, tells us more about facial construction and how the process works using latest technology!
After the victim's profile has been made, we can try to match the reconstructed face of the victim with the database and records of missing people. Other than the facial similarities, we also have to take into account of the estimated age group of the victim and the time frame at which the victim went missing, before actually ruling out any possibilities. After making a shortlist of possible victims, we could perhaps approach the suspected victim's families and relatives to get further details for reconfirmation and even detailed report for the investigation. Apart from that, we could get some DNA materials (hair, body fluids, etc) from the suspected victim's biological parents, in order to proceed to the next step, DNA Profiling via POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION method.
The picture below shows a simple diagram on how the mechanism of the PCR works!
The 2 picture below shows how DNA Profiling looks like with bands shown on the film.
After obtaining and interpreting the evidences found in the crime scene, the time has come to proceed to one of the crucial phase of the investigation, which is creating a profile for the victims by Facial Reconstruction. Many software and programs are used by Forensic Teams to put together a 'face', to help match and narrow down possibilities of victims and suspects of the case. Not only that, facial reconstruction can be done by comparison of ante and post mortem data, use of previous radio graphs and clinical photographs if any. Every person's face is unique and even identical twins have small minute distinct features to help tell them apart.
The picture below, shows the before and after a facial reconstruction surgery!
In the Facial Reconstruction process, several details come into play, such as
- age factor
- facial tissue depth measurement
- hard and soft tissues of face,
- distinct characteristics eg: birth mark, mole and etc
The video below, tells us more about facial construction and how the process works using latest technology!
After the victim's profile has been made, we can try to match the reconstructed face of the victim with the database and records of missing people. Other than the facial similarities, we also have to take into account of the estimated age group of the victim and the time frame at which the victim went missing, before actually ruling out any possibilities. After making a shortlist of possible victims, we could perhaps approach the suspected victim's families and relatives to get further details for reconfirmation and even detailed report for the investigation. Apart from that, we could get some DNA materials (hair, body fluids, etc) from the suspected victim's biological parents, in order to proceed to the next step, DNA Profiling via POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION method.
The picture below shows a simple diagram on how the mechanism of the PCR works!
The 2 picture below shows how DNA Profiling looks like with bands shown on the film.
Apart from that, from discoveries found in the evidence (presence of caries on the lower first permanent molar, as well as fissure sealant on the third molar), we are able to compare the findings with ante mortom records of dentists the suspected victim might have visited. Dental records provided by the dentist might contain information of the victim's history - physical examination, diagnosis, treatment, and the management of the victim, past medical history, family history and social history.
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