Abstract
On September 23rd 1993 Genova was flooded by heavy rainstorms and 4 people disappeared, including an elderly couple. Four days later a partially skeletonized body was found floating near the coast. No visual identification was possible. Autopsy findings were consistent with the medical history of a possible victim. DNA was extracted from a muscle sample and compared to paraffin embedded prostatic gland fragment taken by surgery. A positive identification could be made. On October 11th the body of a decomposed and partially skeletonized female was found. The visual identification was also uncertain and no clinical records were available. A blood sample from the son was obtained for maternal identification by the polymerase chain reaction.
Zusammenfassung
Am 23. September 1993 wurde Genua infolge heftiger Regenstürme überflutet, wobei vier Personen, darunter ein älteres Ehepaar, vermisst wurden. Vier Tage später wurde ein teilweise skelettierter Leichnam in Küstennähe angetrieben. Eine visuelle Identifizierung war nicht möglich. Die Autopsiebefunde stimmten mit der Krankengeschichte eines der möglichen Flutopfer überein. Daraufhin wurde aus einer Muskelprobe DNA extrahiert und mit einem Stück Paraffin-eingebetteten Prostatagewebes, das anlässlich einer Operation entnommen wurde, verglichen. Hierdurch konnte eine positive Identifizierung erzielt werden. Am 11. Oktober wurde der verweste und teilweise skelettierte Leichnam einer Frau aufgefunden. Die visuelle Identifikation war ebenfalls unsicher und Krankenakten standen nicht zur Verfügung. Zur matemalen Identifikation mittels Polymerase-Kettenreaktion wurde eine Blutprobe des Sohnes herangezogen.
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Mannucci, A., Casarino, L., Bruni, G. et al. Individual identification of flood victims by DNA polymorphisms and autopsy findings. Int J Leg Med 107, 213–215 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01428409
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01428409