Authorities in Saskatchewan apologized Monday for an identity mix-up in which a hockey player was identified as among the 15 killed in last week91裸聊视频檚 bus crash 91裸聊视频� only to discover it was, in fact, his teammate that was killed.
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Here91裸聊视频檚 a look at how the identification process generally unfolds when someone is found dead:
How identification happens in straightforward cases:
The mainstay of the identification effort for most medical examiners and coroners in Canada is the visual identification. For example, someone is found dead in an apartment. The superintendent or a relative who found the person or otherwise knows the person then positively identifies the deceased. If what they say checks out with other identifying information 91裸聊视频� a passport or driver91裸聊视频檚 licence 91裸聊视频� that91裸聊视频檚 probably going to be sufficient.
91裸聊视频淲hen you91裸聊视频檙e thinking about visual identification, that is often in circumstances where there are a number of other pieces of information that suggest that91裸聊视频檚 who the person is,91裸聊视频� said Dr. Dirk Huyer, chief coroner in Ontario.
What if a body is decomposed or badly disfigured?
While fingerprints, X-rays, and characteristic tattoos or other markings on a body may help in the identification process, coroners will usually reach for dental records. That means taking the body to the local morgue, having a forensic dentist examine the teeth of the dead person, then comparing them with the person91裸聊视频檚 dental records.
91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 often the easiest and quickest way to identify a body,91裸聊视频� said Dr. Matt Bowes, chief medical examiner for Nova Scotia.
Another option is using genetic matching. The problem is that it can take time to get the DNA comparisons done.
91裸聊视频淵ou want to give information to families quickly and you want to figure things out as quickly as you can, so it91裸聊视频檚 always at the moment thinking what is the best approach to take,91裸聊视频� Huyer said.
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What difficulties did the Saskatchewan coroner face in the bus crash?
The situation in Saskatchewan was complex for several reasons. One of them was the large number of victims who had suffered terrible injuries that rendered them less recognizable. Further compounding the problem was that the teammates had dyed their hair blond for the playoffs, were of similar age and similar build.
91裸聊视频淚n addition to that, the coroner is probably under a tremendous amount of pressure to clear the scene for obvious reasons of compassion,91裸聊视频� Bowes said. 91裸聊视频淣obody likes to stand in the way of reuniting of the family and the loved one. This is certainly the kind of thing where an error could occur.91裸聊视频�
Given the frailties inherent in any identification process, errors can and do occur, Bowes said.
91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e famous in our community,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e one of the things we91裸聊视频檙e very mindful of.91裸聊视频�
In one case, a man in Toronto was hit by a commuter train in 2004 and a visual identification by his sister was done. The family was at the funeral, when the man himself arrived at the sister91裸聊视频檚 house to say he wasn91裸聊视频檛 dead. 91裸聊视频淭hat would be one of the most extraordinary examples in Canadian history,91裸聊视频� Bouwer said.
What should be done when ID mistakes do happen.
The important thing is to be very upfront and honest about what happened, Bowes said. He gave authorities in Saskatchewan credit for doing just that.
91裸聊视频淲e all have to remember these things do happen,91裸聊视频� Bowes said. 91裸聊视频淢ost people are tremendously forgiving when you91裸聊视频檙e humble and forthcoming with your error.91裸聊视频�
Bowes also suggested a staff meeting to re-examine standard operating procedures to see what might have been done differently to prevent a recurrence of the mix-up. Even the best written procedures can be rewritten, he said.
Fortunately, the situation in Saskatchewan is an extraordinarily rare circumstance in Canada, Bowes said.
91裸聊视频淎 mass-fatality event with 15 dead is almost unknown in Canada. You can practically count them on the fingers of your hands. They are rare.91裸聊视频�
Colin Perkel, The Canadian Press
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