Management of The Dead and Missing People in the Easter Bombings in Colombo, Sri Lanka

Identification of the victims is considered as one of the most important initial steps in the management of a mass disaster. Comparison of ante-mortem and post-mortem fingerprints (ridgeology), dental data and DNA profiles have been recognized as primary identification methods for Disaster Victim Identification (DVI). However, facial recognition and personal belongings are the widely used tools of identification in large disasters. A series of bombings hit Sri Lanka on the morning of 21 st of April 2019. In the city of Colombo around 131 people died. Most of the identifications were achieved through visual recognition, with a minor percentage by odontology, genetics and fingerprints. The procedure adopted in the response to the disaster is described in this paper highlighting the importance of advanced preparedness, inter-institutional cooperation, the empathetic approach in caring for the grieving families and the procedure to adopt in visual recognition in DVI.

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Optimisation of an Automated DNA Extraction Method for Bone and Teeth Samples and Applicability to Two Forensic Cases

Forensic Sciences ◽

10.3390/forensicsci1030017 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 (3) ◽

pp. 194-201

Author(s):

Jasmin Zoranjic ◽

Jasmine W. Tay ◽

Nicholas S. Mountford ◽

Marie S. Rye

Keyword(s):

Dna Extraction ◽

Extraction Method ◽

Disaster Victim Identification ◽

Victim Identification ◽

Dna Quality ◽

Dna Extraction Method ◽

Organic Extraction ◽

Automated Dna Extraction ◽

Dna Profiles ◽

Processing Steps

Bones and teeth are highly challenging sources of DNA in forensic science and human remains identification, requiring multiple laborious processing steps. In this study, we compared an organic phenol–chloroform method to the QIAamp® DNA Investigator and PrepFiler Express BTA™ methods in order to identify the most efficient automated DNA extraction method for bones and teeth. Results from individual tooth powder replicates showed that the PrepFiler Express BTA™ method extracted the highest yields of DNA per mg of tooth powder, returning a minimum of 20/21 PowerPlex® 21 loci. Samples extracted using the organic extraction or QIAamp® DNA Investigator methods produced PowerPlex® 21 profiles displaying a ski-slope morphology. The improved DNA quality and yield from the PrepFiler Express BTA™ method was verified using aged samples, where higher DNA yields per mg of powder and more informative profiles were obtained. Furthermore, the PrepFiler Express BTA™ method subsequently provided useful DNA profiles for two forensic cases involving degraded bone samples. Overall, this study showed that the PrepFiler Express BTA™ chemistry is a reliable and robust method for DNA extraction from bone and teeth samples, and will allow larger numbers of samples to be efficiently extracted in the event of a Disaster Victim Identification event.

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IDENTIFIKASI JENAZAH PADA KORBAN BENCANA

JURNAL BIOMEDIK (JBM) ◽

10.35790/jbm.5.1.2013.2601 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Frelly Welong ◽

Erwin G. Kristanto ◽

Djemi Ch. Tomuka

Keyword(s):

Personal Identification ◽

Forensic Identification ◽

Dead Body ◽

Disaster Victim Identification ◽

Victim Identification ◽

Identification Methods ◽

Disaster Victims ◽

Disaster Victim ◽

The Dead

Abstract: Disasters in our country have become very important issues. It is said that our country is a disaster supermarket due to the quantity and quality of disasters in Indonesia from 2000-2010. Disasters claimed both material and human lives. Disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis often resulted in the findings of unidentified bodies (the disaster victims). Identification of a dead body is very important in a disaster. The method used to identify the dead body must be standarized - according to forensic identification methods and standard DVI procedures (Disaster Victim Identification) in reference to Interpol. Additionally, the methods can also assist the police in the personal identification of cases whose identities are still questionable. Victim identifications in turn will help to determine the perpetrators. Keywords: disaster, identification, identification methods, DVI Abstrak: Isu bencana di negara kita Indonesia ini sudah sangat sering didengar karena cuku banyak bencana yang telah terjadi di negara kita. Negara kita bahkan disebut ‘supermarket bencana’ akibat banyaknya bencana yang terjadi di Indonesia dalam kurun waktu 2000-2010. Bencana tidak hanya memakan korban material saja tetapi juga korban jiwa. Pada bencana- bencana seperti gempa bumi dan tsunami sering didapati jenazah-jenazah yang identitasnya tidak diketahui. Penentuan identitas jenazah disini sangat penting; untuk itu dapat digunakan metode-metode identifikasi menurut forensik dan juga prosedur-prosedur standard DVI (Disaster Victim Identification) yang mengacu pada Interpol. Selain itu, metode-metode tersebut bisa membantu pihak kepolisian dalam penyidikan kasus-kasus dimana identitas korban masih diragukan; dan juga untuk menentukan pelaku kejahatan pada kasus-kasus pembunuhan, pemerkosaan, dan lainnya yang berhubungan dengan masalah identifikasi. Kata kunci: bencana, identifikasi, metode identifikasi, DVI

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