Disaster Victim Identification — MCQs

Following a major earthquake, a regional hospital manages both survivors and victim identification. The forensic team faces: limited DNA lab capacity (30 samples/week), 200 bodies, pressure from families for quick release, and presence of closed casket bodies (intact) versus open/fragmented remains. As the coordinating forensic expert, evaluate and prioritize the identification strategy balancing ethical, legal, and practical considerations.

A forensic team managing a mass disaster has identified 80 out of 100 victims using primary identifiers. For the remaining 20 highly fragmented bodies, multiple body parts potentially belonging to the same individual are tagged with different numbers. Family reference DNA samples are available. Evaluate the best protocol to avoid mismatching and ensure accurate reassociation of body parts.

In a building collapse, 45 bodies are recovered over 72 hours. Bodies 1-15 are recovered in first 6 hours and are relatively intact. Bodies 16-45 are recovered over next 66 hours with varying degrees of decomposition and fragmentation. Analyze the most appropriate identification strategy considering resource optimization and accuracy.

During a terrorist bombing, a forensic team is collecting samples from scattered body parts. Which technique should be prioritized for DNA sample collection to ensure maximum success rate in identification?

A train accident has resulted in 150 casualties. The forensic team has set up a temporary mortuary. A body with severe facial trauma has intact clothing with name labels, and relatives are claiming the body based on clothing. What should be the appropriate action?