[Neonaticide: frequently suspected, seldom proven]. / Neonaticide: vaak vermoed, zelden bewezen.

OBJECTIVE: To present an overview of pathological findings on neonaticide in the Netherlands. DESIGN: Retrospective descriptive study. METHOD: We analyzed all autopsy reports on neonates from the Netherlands Forensic Institute for the period 1994-2011. We collected data on gestational age, how the body had been discovered and autopsy results. RESULTS: We included details of 78 victims; 61 (78%) had been born at full term and 17 (22%) prematurely. Half of the victims were girls, 40% were boys and in 10% the state of the body meant that it was not possible to determine the sex. Minimal, moderate and severe putrefaction was observed in 29 bodies (37%), 15 bodies (19%) and 34 bodies (44%), respectively. In the cases with moderate or severe decomposition it was not possible to determine with certainty whether the child had been born alive and, if applicable, the cause of death. Of the remaining 29 cases with minimal decomposition, 1 had been stillborn; a possible cause of death could be determined in 12 cases. CONCLUSION: In the Netherlands 4 to 5 forensic autopsies are performed annually in cases of suspected neonaticide. In most cases decomposition is already too advanced to be able to determine whether there was any sign of life at birth and to establish the cause of death, if applicable.

Variables affecting the probability of complete fusion of the medial clavicular epiphysis.

In this study, we have combined data on clavicle fusion from different studies and applied a binomial logistic regression analysis. As such, we aimed to assess whether or not variables such as sex, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity influence the probability of having mature, i.e., completely fused clavicles at a given age. We further explored whether the method of clavicle examination, i.e., diagnosis from either a dry bone specimen, an examination of X-rays, or an examination of computed tomography scans, affects the probability of being diagnosed with mature clavicles. It appeared that only ethnicity did not significantly affect this probability. Finally, we illustrated how the logit model may be used to predict the probability of being diagnosed with mature clavicles.

Cross-sectional anthropometric study of the external ear.

This cross-sectional anthropometric study was aimed at estimating expansion of the external ear during adult life, in order to evaluate the extent to which anatomical features appearing in earprints may vary with time. A review of the literature was provided. Data extracted from photographed ears of 1353 subjects were analyzed. The effect of age on auricle length, earlobe length, and auricle width was explored using univariate analyses of variance. The regression coefficients of age on these dimensions were, respectively, 0.178, 0.115, and 0.073 mm/yr for males, and 0.162, 0.100, and 0.073 mm/year for females (p=0.000). Regression coefficients of age corrected for stature were assumed to be less accurate. Anthelix prominence and helix width were analyzed using data of 175 subjects, and appeared unaffected by age. As lobe expansion appeared to exceed the estimated cartilage expansion, it was assumed that particularly the imprint of the lobe would be less stable with time.

Individualization of earprints : Variation in prints of monozygotic twins.

This article presents a study of the variation in the appearance of earprints from six pairs of monozygotic (MZ) twins, applying different methods with varying degrees of objectivity. By analyzing prints of MZ twins, we purposely select pairs of individuals for whom the degree of interindividual variation is low. We first provide an account of the corresponding characteristics and the differences that occur between prints from the individual members. We evaluate differences in both content (i.e., presence, shape, and intensity of imprinted features) and geometry (i.e., position of imprinted features). Differences are visualized by way of digital overlays. Differences in geometry are further evaluated by performing a hierarchical cluster analysis using variables derived from the position of seemingly corresponding features. As a next step, we explore a method to fully automatically analyze prints. In this approach, image regions are selected and matched automatically. A suggestion on how to apply this method to calculate the evidential value of an earprint is provided. To our knowledge, this is the first time that any method capable of fully automated earprint comparisons has been presented in the literature.

Earprints in forensic investigations.

This article provides an overview of the theoretical and practical issues surrounding the use of earprints in forensic research. In the first section, we provide a limited account of the history of earprints in forensic investigations and their use as evidence in court. Criticism of the use of earprints for individualization is addressed and fundamental questions that require attention are summarized. In the second section, we summarize the results of various studies that we have performed on earprint variation. Potential causes of intraindividual variation in earprint appearance are, for instance, variations in the way the prints are lifted, variations in the time the donor spends listening, and variations in the force that is applied during listening. Concerning the latter, we have explored various factors that could influence applied force. We have also studied changes in the morphology of live ears during adulthood.

Exploring the effect of the occurrence of sound on force applied by the ear when listening at a surface.

In this article, we explore the effect of the occurrence of a target sound on the force that is applied by the ear when listening at a surface because differences in applied force induce variation in carprints of a single ear. Forty two subjects each listened four times at a surface. During two of these listening efforts there was silence. While the subjects were listening, we measured the amount of force that was applied to the surface. To explore the effect of the occurrence of a target sound upon applied force, we applied a mixed model analysis of variance. The force applied by the ear appeared to be uncorrelated to presence or absence of a target sound. This lack of association appeared not to be the result of potential confounders. Only repetition (i.e., the position of a listening effort in the series of four), appeared to significantly affect applied force; this force being generally lower during a first listening effort.

Exploratory study on classification and individualisation of earprints.

The FearID research project is aimed at the individualisation of earprints for the purpose of forensic research. The study presented here was carried out within the framework of this project. It intends to combine a review of what is known from literature on the classification and individualisation of earprints with results from a preliminary study of earprints. Possibilities for, and limitations to, the use of earprints in forensic investigation are addressed. Differences between eliminating a suspect, placing a suspect at a crime scene, and linking crimes by prints left at different scenes are considered.