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Martlin BA, Bell LS. Water-related fatalities: An examination of body displacement and recovery patterns in British Columbia, Canada. J Forensic Sci 2024; 69:162-181. [PMID: 37789521 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Early recovery of human bodies from the water requires an understanding of how a body acts in the water. However, there is currently a lack of baseline data surrounding body movement in British Columbian (B.C.) waters. This study aims to assist Canadian response agencies with understanding and predicting body movement in outdoor waterbodies in B.C. One hundred and eighty-six water-related fatalities in B.C. waters, including lakes, rivers, and the coastal Pacific Ocean, were examined to determine the recovery times and displacement patterns of submerged decedents. Cases between 2010 and 2021 were extracted from the Police Records Information Management Environment (PRIME-BC) for analysis. Most deaths were unintentional, followed by suicide and homicide, and most often occurred in rivers, followed by lakes and the ocean. Regardless of waterbody, the first day was the most successful recovery period, with decedents most often recovered close to the incident location. Nearly 16% of individuals in this study were not recovered. Recovery success was greatest in lakes, followed by rivers and the ocean. Body displacement was the least in lakes, while rivers resulted in the furthest and most variable displacement. Low recovery success in the ocean is likely due to decedents being quickly displaced out of the search area, never to be found. The results of this study suggest that knowledge of body movement in outdoor aquatic environments remains incomplete. Further empirical research based on known data is necessary to continue improving prediction of body movement and increase early recovery success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britny A Martlin
- Centre for Forensic Research, School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lynne S Bell
- Centre for Forensic Research, School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
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2
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Goren HP. An investigation of the inter and intra post-mortem microstructural change seen in an experimental series of pigs exposed to a marine environment. J Forensic Leg Med 2023; 99:102588. [PMID: 37690184 DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2023.102588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
The identification of marine post-mortem microstructural change in human bone tissue is valuable in forensic casework as evidence of an individual's burial history. This study examined micro-tunneling in pig-bone tissue microstructure that had been submerged in a marine environment. The objective of the experiment was to assess total distribution of post-mortem microstructural change and degree of preservation within and between individual submerged pig skeletons. 14 juvenile pig carcasses were submerged in British Columbia at 92-300 m depths, between four to eight months. Seven pigs were individually submerged within caged platforms, seven were tied to open platforms. Six bones were selected from each carcass: first rib, radius, ulna, middle-rib, tibia, and femur. Two transverse thin sections were sampled at each bone mid-shaft (n = 148) and examined using circularly polarized transmitted light. The distribution of tunnels was assessed by measuring tunnel maximum ingress and diameter at 40 locations of the peripheral cortex. All element types were impacted by peripheral tunneling from the periosteum to the central cortex. Tunnels were observed as radiating, bifurcating with no remineralization boundary, isolated and in clusters. Tunnel diameters ranged between 2.00 μm and 12.8 μm, with a 3.7 μm mean. Ingress measurements ranged between 7.5 μm and 435.8 μm with a 93.0 μm mean. Distribution of post-mortem microstructural change across skeletal elements showed the averaged maximum ingress was deeper in the uncaged (99.6 μm), when compared to caged material (78.5 μm). The averaged tunnel ingress had statistically significant differences between uncaged and caged carcasses overall (p-value=0.02). Results of the study indicate microboring is present in marine submersed mammalian bone microstructure in as little as 134 days. This informs forensic investigators of the rate of skeletal destruction and of the narrow window for forensic recoveries, particularly in an enclosed environment. Furthermore, the presence of marine microboring in bone can assist forensic practitioners to histologically interpret the environmental history of a corpse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley P Goren
- Centre for Forensic Research, School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Canada.
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3
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Martlin BA, Anderson GS, Bell LS. A review of human decomposition in marine environments. CANADIAN SOCIETY OF FORENSIC SCIENCE JOURNAL 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/00085030.2022.2135741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Britny A. Martlin
- Centre for Forensic Research, School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Gail S. Anderson
- Centre for Forensic Research, School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Lynne S. Bell
- Centre for Forensic Research, School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
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Bertoglio B, Messina C, Cappella A, Maderna E, Mazzarelli D, Lucheschi S, Sardanelli F, Sconfienza LM, Sforza C, Cattaneo C. Bone tissue preservation in seawater environment: a preliminary comparative analysis of bones with different post-mortem histories through anthropological and radiological perspectives. Int J Legal Med 2021; 135:2581-2594. [PMID: 34401961 PMCID: PMC8523468 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-021-02636-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Bone taphonomy is a widely investigated topic; however, few data are available concerning marine bone taphonomy, especially on remains recovered from great depths and with short post-mortem intervals. To date, few studies have evaluated the bony changes which occur in seawater compared to samples with different post-mortem histories, and none through a comparative analysis of different approaches. To this purpose, this pilot study aims to examine the influence of seawater on bone preservation compared to other depositional contexts by multiple perspectives. Forty-nine human bone samples (femurs or tibiae) recovered from different environments (sea water, fresh water, outdoor, burial in coffin) were compared by macroscopic, microscopic and bone densitometric approaches. In order to investigate organic and inorganic components, undecalcified and decalcified histology of thin sections was performed. The analyses revealed a well-preserved bone tissue both macroscopically (92%) and microscopically (97% and 95% for undecalcified and decalcified sections). No significant differences were detected from radiological densitometric investigations (BMD = 1.6 g/cm2 ± 0.1), except between old and young individuals (p value < 0.001). Differences were observed for body decomposition and few scavenged samples (3/15). However, even if slight variations were observed, no relation was recorded with the depositional contexts. We found a similar bone preservation in the four environments at the time of recovery, both macroscopically and microscopically, but also with radiological densitometric investigations. Our observations enriched the literature on bone taphonomy, providing data on bone tissue preservation in the early post-mortem period from a multidisciplinary perspective, paving the way for further studies on the topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Bertoglio
- LABANOF, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Annalisa Cappella
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- U.O, Laboratorio di Morfologia Umana Applicata, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuela Maderna
- LABANOF, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Debora Mazzarelli
- LABANOF, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Stanilla Lucheschi
- LABANOF, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Sardanelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Maria Sconfienza
- IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Milan, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiarella Sforza
- Laboratorio di Anatomia Funzionale dell’Apparato Stomatognatico (LAFAS), Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- LABANOF, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Juniper F, Jameson BD, Juniper SK, Smith CR, Bell LS. Can whale-fall studies inform human forensics? Sci Justice 2021; 61:459-466. [PMID: 34482926 DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2021.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Experimental knowledge of human body decomposition in the deep ocean is very limited, partly due to the logistical challenges of deep-sea research. The literature on ecological responses to the arrival of naturally sunk and implanted whale carcasses on the seafloor represents a potential source of information relevant to questions of human body survival and recovery in the deep ocean. Whale falls trigger the formation of complex, localized, and dense biological communities that have become a point of interest for marine biologists for the past 2-3 decades. Researchers have documented whale falls by whale type, size, geographic location, water depth and water chemistry, and there have been some comparative analyses of decomposition rates and faunal presence on carcasses. We undertook a review and meta-analysis of the whale-fall literature to identify and statistically model trends relevant to human forensics. Results from studies using deep-sea cameras baited with pig carcasses and simulated carrion provided further validation of noted trends. The stages of whale carcass decomposition most relevant to human forensics are those characterised by mobile scavengers that strip the soft tissues from carcasses, and to a lesser degree, other biota that degrade skeletal material. Our statistical models used the number of faunal taxa attracted to the whale carcasses as a measure of the ecological response and the potential rate of decomposition. Negative binomial models identified significant influences of carcass age and dissolved oxygen concentration on the ecological response (taxon numbers). The strongest environmental effects were identified in data from experimental studies that implanted whale carcasses across a broad range of dissolved-oxygen conditions. We propose directions for further experimental research to refine models of environmental controls on decomposition in the deep sea. Our results also highlight the potential use of publicly available global databases on environmental conditions in the deep ocean for informing body scavenging activity and thus body survival. Applying a forensic lens to whale-fall studies provides a window into an otherwise unseen world from the standpoint of human forensic taphonomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Juniper
- Centre for Forensic Research, School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr., Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - Brett D Jameson
- School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 1700, Station CSC Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada.
| | - S Kim Juniper
- School of Earth and Ocean Sciences & Department of Biology Department, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 1700, Station CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada; Ocean Networks Canada, University of Victoria - Queenswood Campus, #104-2474 Arbutus Road, Victoria, British Columbia V8N 1V8, Canada.
| | - Craig R Smith
- Department of Oceanography, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 1000 Pope Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
| | - Lynne S Bell
- Centre for Forensic Research, School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Dr., Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada.
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Postmortem submersion interval in human bodies recovered from fresh water in an area of Mediterranean climate. Application and comparison of preexisting models. Forensic Sci Int 2020; 306:110051. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.110051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Reijnen G, Gelderman HT, Oude Grotebevelsborg BFL, Reijnders UJL, Duijst WLJM. The correlation between the Aquatic Decomposition Score (ADS) and the post-mortem submersion interval measured in Accumulated Degree Days (ADD) in bodies recovered from fresh water. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2018; 14:301-306. [DOI: 10.1007/s12024-018-9987-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Ribéreau-Gayon A, Carter DO, Regan S. New evidence of predation on humans by cookiecutter sharks in Kauai, Hawaii. Int J Legal Med 2018; 132:1381-1387. [PMID: 29445874 PMCID: PMC6096562 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-018-1786-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The feeding patterns of species of large sharks on human corpses are well documented in the literature however, that of smaller sharks are less known. This may introduce uncertainty in the medicolegal conclusions. For that reason, accurate identification of patterns of shark predation is very relevant, specifically in areas bordered by the sea. In the case described here, an unidentified lesion was noted on the body of a victim of a scuba diving accident off the island of Kauai, in Hawaii. The aim of this study was to identify the origin of the lesion and investigate its potential to inform on the context of death and/or decomposition. The original outline of the lesion was digitally reconstructed to enable the collection of measurements which were compared with the literature and interpreted with an interdisciplinary approach. This approach permitted to determine that the macroscopic appearance and dimensions of the lesion (major axis = 3.53 cm) were consistent with a bitemark of a cookiecutter shark (Isistius brasiliensis). It was further determined that the bitemark was incomplete and that the specimen involved had a total length of about 24 cm and was likely to be a juvenile. This is the second report in the published literature of cookiecutter bitemarks on humans in the Hawaiian waters. This study brings new evidence-based insights into the interactions between cookiecutter sharks and human remains in marine environments and provides a valuable contribution to the knowledge base on the topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agathe Ribéreau-Gayon
- Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 31-34 Gordon Square, London, WC1H 0PY, UK. .,Department of Security and Crime Science-Centre for the Forensic Sciences, University College London, 35 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9EZ, UK. .,Centre for the Forensic Sciences, University College London, 35 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9EZ, UK.
| | - David O Carter
- Laboratory of Forensic Taphonomy, Forensic Sciences Unit, Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Honolulu, HI, USA
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Seefeldt MA, Campana GL, Deregibus D, Quartino ML, Abele D, Tollrian R, Held C. Different feeding strategies in Antarctic scavenging amphipods and their implications for colonisation success in times of retreating glaciers. Front Zool 2017; 14:59. [PMID: 29299038 PMCID: PMC5745984 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-017-0248-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2017] [Accepted: 12/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Scavenger guilds are composed of a variety of species, co-existing in the same habitat and sharing the same niche in the food web. Niche partitioning among them can manifest in different feeding strategies, e.g. during carcass feeding. In the bentho-pelagic realm of the Southern Ocean, scavenging amphipods (Lysianassoidea) are ubiquitous and occupy a central role in decomposition processes. Here we address the question whether scavenging lysianassoid amphipods employ different feeding strategies during carcass feeding, and whether synergistic feeding activities may influence carcass decomposition. To this end, we compared the relatively large species Waldeckia obesa with the small species Cheirimedon femoratus, Hippomedon kergueleni, and Orchomenella rotundifrons during fish carcass feeding (Notothenia spp.). The experimental approach combined ex situ feeding experiments, behavioural observations, and scanning electron microscopic analyses of mandibles. Furthermore, we aimed to detect ecological drivers for distribution patterns of scavenging amphipods in the Antarctic coastal ecosystems of Potter Cove. In Potter Cove, the climate-driven rapid retreat of the Fourcade Glacier is causing various environmental changes including the provision of new marine habitats to colonise. While in the newly ice-free areas fish are rare, macroalgae have already colonised hard substrates. Assuming that a temporal dietary switch may increase the colonisation success of the most abundant lysianassoids C. femoratus and H. kergueleni, we aimed to determine their consumption rates (g food x g amphipods−1 x day−1) and preferences of macroalgae and fish. Results We detected two functional groups with different feeding strategies among scavenging amphipods during carcass feeding: carcass ‘opener’ and ‘squeezer’. Synergistic effects between these groups were not statistically verified under the conditions tested. C. femoratus switched its diet when fish was not available by consuming macroalgae (about 0.2 day−1) but preferred fish by feeding up to 80% of its own mass daily. Contrary, H. kergueleni rejected macroalgae entirely and consumed fish with a maximal rate of 0.8 day−1. Conclusion This study reveals functional groups in scavenging shallow-water amphipods and provides new information on coastal intraguild niche partitioning. We conclude that the dietary flexibility of C. femoratus is a potential ecological driver and central to its success in the colonisation of newly available ice-free Antarctic coastal habitats. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12983-017-0248-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meike Anna Seefeldt
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz- Zentrum für Polar und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Gabriela Laura Campana
- Departamento de Biología Costera, Instituto Antártico Argentino, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Ciencias Básicas Universidad Nacional de Luján, Luján, Argentina
| | - Dolores Deregibus
- Departamento de Biología Costera, Instituto Antártico Argentino, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Liliana Quartino
- Departamento de Biología Costera, Instituto Antártico Argentino, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "B. Rivadavia", Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Doris Abele
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz- Zentrum für Polar und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Ralph Tollrian
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Christoph Held
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz- Zentrum für Polar und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
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Ribéreau-Gayon A, Rando C, Morgan RM, Carter DO. The suitability of visual taphonomic methods for digital photographs: An experimental approach with pig carcasses in a tropical climate. Sci Justice 2017; 58:167-176. [PMID: 29685298 DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2017.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2017] [Revised: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
In the context of increased scrutiny of the methods in forensic sciences, it is essential to ensure that the approaches used in forensic taphonomy to measure decomposition and estimate the postmortem interval are underpinned by robust evidence-based data. Digital photographs are an important source of documentation in forensic taphonomic investigations but the suitability of the current approaches for photographs, rather than real-time remains, is poorly studied which can undermine accurate forensic conclusions. The present study aimed to investigate the suitability of 2D colour digital photographs for evaluating decomposition of exposed human analogues (Sus scrofa domesticus) in a tropical savanna environment (Hawaii), using two published scoring methods; Megyesi et al., 2005 and Keough et al., 2017. It was found that there were significant differences between the real-time and photograph decomposition scores when the Megyesi et al. method was used. However, the Keough et al. method applied to photographs reflected real-time decomposition more closely and thus appears more suitable to evaluate pig decomposition from 2D photographs. The findings indicate that the type of scoring method used has a significant impact on the ability to accurately evaluate the decomposition of exposed pig carcasses from photographs. It was further identified that photographic taphonomic analysis can reach high inter-observer reproducibility. These novel findings are of significant importance for the forensic sciences as they highlight the potential for high quality photograph coverage to provide useful complementary information for the forensic taphonomic investigation. New recommendations to develop robust transparent approaches adapted to photographs in forensic taphonomy are suggested based on these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agathe Ribéreau-Gayon
- Department of Security and Crime Science, University College London, 35 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9EZ, United Kingdom; Centre for the Forensic Sciences, University College London, 35 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9EZ, United Kingdom; Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 31-34 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PY, United Kingdom.
| | - Carolyn Rando
- Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 31-34 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PY, United Kingdom.
| | - Ruth M Morgan
- Department of Security and Crime Science, University College London, 35 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9EZ, United Kingdom; Centre for the Forensic Sciences, University College London, 35 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9EZ, United Kingdom.
| | - David O Carter
- Laboratory of Forensic Taphonomy, Forensic Sciences Unit, Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Chaminade University of Honolulu, HI, United States.
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