Forensic Science International: Reports (Jul 2022)
Facial morphology characters as means for forensic anthropological identification in human remains entering the Servicio Nacional de Medicina y Ciencias Forenses of the State of Carabobo-Venezuela
Abstract
Human identification of fresh remains is mainly carried out employing dactyloscopy. However, depending on the state of preservation of the body, other forensic sciences such as anthropology, odontology, and genetic analysis may be involved. The question arises as to Which is the predominant mean of human identification in the Servicio Nacional de Medicina y Ciencias Forenses of the State of Carabobo, Venezuela? and with respect to the area of forensic anthropology, which is the leading methodology among the bioanthropological tetrahedron, facial morphology characters or other individualizing elements? A statistical sample of the human remains admitted to this service for identification and analyzed by the forensic anthropology and odontology departments was used to answer these questions. Of 182 human remains, 69 were identified by these two departments and other means (necro-dactyloscopy, recognition by witnesses, or by officials). Most of them were identified by forensic anthropology methods using facial morphology characters, regardless of their state of preservation. These statistical data demonstrate the relevance of facial morphology analysis in forensic anthropology for human identification in any state of human remains preservation.
