164 Forensic dentistry
Although visual methods of identification are commonly used, they should
be used with caution. “Visual identification is one of the least reliable forms of
identification and can be fraught with error” (Molina in Chapter 5). Facial and
other characteristics can change due to trauma, swelling, fragmentation, and
decomposition. Certainly hair color, skin color, and other physical descriptors
can be useful, but should never be used alone to confirm identification when dis-
figuring has occurred. In such cases, most medical examiners will not attempt
a visual ID since it may create significant emotional trauma to family members.
This can also lead to misidentification of the individual.
Case Report: Misidentification/Delayed Identification“On April 26, 2006 Whitney Cerak, Laura Van Ryn and seven other people were
involved in a car accident in Indiana. Five people perished in the accident.”^1
Cerak’s parents were informed by authorities that their daughter Whitney had died
in the accident. The Van Ryn family anxiously waited at what they thought was
Laura’s bedside. After five weeks of intensive care it became obvious that the girl
in the hospital was not Laura Van Ryn. Whitney Cerak was alive and the Cerak
family had unknowingly buried Laura Van Ryn after a closed-casket funeral that
drew several thousand mourners.
According to the local coroner, the mistake occurred at the scene. Personal
belongings were strewn throughout the crash site and both girls had similar facial
features, blonde hair, and similar body weight. At the accident scene, Laura Van
Ryn’s ID had been associated with the individual transported to the hospital.
The hospitalized girl had considerable facial trauma and swelling. Van Ryn
family members were unable to recognize the person they thought was Laura and
did not realize the mix-up until weeks after the crash. They were so emotionally
involved that they had no reason to doubt the identity. No scientific identification
techniques were utilized. DNA, fingerprint, or dental record comparison was not
employed to confirm the identity of any of those involved in the crash. After the
error became obvious, dental record comparisons confirmed the identities of
both girls. The Van Ryn and Cerak families, including Whitney Cerak, corrobo-
rated on a 2008 book chronicling the events and the effects those events had on
the families.^29.1.1 Fingerprints
Fingerprint identification is a dependable and efficient forensic identification
technique, but it is sometimes impossible to record postmortem fingerprints
from decomposed or burned bodies. A body that remains immersed in fresh
water can decompose rapidly, depending on the water temperature, and may
preclude the recording of postmortem fingerprints. Of course, it is not pos-
sible to record fingerprints from skeletonized decedents.
For fingerprints to be a useful identification tool in a specific case, the
person in question must have antemortem fingerprints on file. There is still a
significant segment of the U.S. population for whom there are no fingerprint