So What Did Margie Say About...Bones "The Doom in the Gloom"

 

 

 

The 3/18/13 episode of Bones titled "The Doom in the Gloom" begins basically with an incinerated body.

 

These definitely provide forensic challenges.  The identification can't rely on a visual exam obviously.  Facial features are indistinguishable, tattoos are gone, and height and weight may be difficult to determine. 

 

Burn bodies are found in what is called a pugilistic attitude.  A pugilist is a boxer and when the extreme heat evaporates fluid from the muscles, they draw up the legs and arms.  The upper body position result looks like a boxer in their stance with arms drawn up.

 

Sometimes the heat is so intense the brain basically boils and explodes which causes skull fractures and damage.  An extensive examination is necessary to determine if the damage is done from the outside in (blunt force trauma) or from the inside out (heat related damage).

 

Going back to an identification of the fire victim, what to do if visual characteristics are not available?  If the fire is too intense then it is highly likely that the fingers are absent or badly damaged.  Fingerprints therefore are not the option.

 

Nuclear DNA may not be an option either if the heat has damaged the tissues and muscles to such a degree that it has degraded.

 

Mitochondrial DNA may be the way to go as it is somewhat protected in the bone marrow or within the teeth. 

 

If the teeth are still intact then they will provide a good source for an identification.  Dental records for comparison are invaluable.

 

Medical records will provide a source for comparison in regards to prior surgeries which leave metal plates or screws in the body.  Sometimes these can be traced through serial numbers.  So can most breast implants but they don't hold up well in a fire.

 

Previous broken bones or some indications of a disease or injury may also help lead to an identification.

 

Along side the identification accomplishment, the other challenges of retrieving evidence of what caused the fire, where it began, what may have accelerated it, and what items can be salvaged are also areas that keep the investigators busy in their job.