Post on 24-Dec-2015
Mass Fatality Identification
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINERTHE CITY OF NEW YORK
November 6, 2007
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
Topics
• World Trade Center Recovery• Improved Identification Process• DNA Work• New Analysis Methods• The Next Mass Fatality
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
New York City Mass Fatalities
JFK International Airport
June 14, 1975
Boeing 727 crashed due to wind shear
109 killed
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
New York City Mass Fatalities
Cove Neck, NY
January 25, 1990
Boeing 707 ran out of fuel and crashed on landing approach to JFK Airport
73 killed
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
New York City Mass Fatalities
LaGuardia Airport
March 22, 1992
USAir Flight 405 crashed during takeoff into Flushing Bay due to ice buildup on the wings
27 killed
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
New York City Mass Fatalities
JFK International Airport
July 17, 1996
TWA Flight 800 Boeing 747 crashed into the ocean
230 killed
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
New York City Mass Fatalities
Rockaway, Queens
November 12, 2001
American Airlines Flight 587 crashed due to overuse of the rudder to counter wake turbulence
265 killed
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
New York City Mass Fatalities
Bronx, NY
March 25, 1990
Happy Land Social Club set on fire by a patron
87 killed
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
New York City Mass Fatalities
Queens, NY
June 6, 1993
The freighter Golden Venture carrying 138 Chinese immigrants ran aground
10 killed
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
New York City Mass Fatalities
Staten Island, NY October 15, 2003
The Staten Island Ferry Andrew J. Barberi with a capacity of 6,000 passengers crashed into a dock after the pilot lost consciousness
11 killed
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
New York City Mass Fatalities
LaGuardia Airport
December 29, 1975
A terrorist bomb exploded in the main TWA terminal building
11 killed
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
New York City Mass Fatalities
World Trade Center
February 26, 1993
A 1,500-lb urea nitrate-fuel oil bomb exploded in the garage of the North Tower
6 killed and 1,042 injured
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
New York City Mass Fatalities
World Trade Center
September 11, 2001
United Airlines Flight 175 and American Airlines Flight 11 hijacked and crashed
2750 killed
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
Recovery Location vs DNA Profile
• Samples Tested – Deutsche Bank– Con Ed – Sifting Center– Previously Recovered
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
DNA Results
• New identifications • Remains from previously identified victims• Remains from unidentified victims• Previously unseen profiles
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
Importance of DNA
• DNA 88%
• Dental/Medical X-Ray 6%
• Fingerprints 4%
• Photo/Viewed 1%
• Personal Effects/Tattoos 1%
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
Working to Identify
• Additional testing with mini-STRs (MiniFiler®)
• Use of TrueAllele® software
• Continual collection of reference samples
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
Recovery of Remains
2001 2004 2007
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
Identification Work
2001 2004 2007
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
Storage of Remains
• Adequate space?
• Access to containers?
• Airline disaster
• Pandemic
• Potter’s Field
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
Lessons Learned
• Communication
• Unified Victim Identification System
• Dedicated Teams
OFFICE OF CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Mass Fatality Identification
Mark DesireAssistant DirectorDepartment of Forensic BiologyNew York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner
212-323-1215mdesire@ocme.nyc.gov