Citation

Clark EG, Zumwalt RE, Schanfield MS. J. Forensic Sci. 1990; 35(1): 80-88.

Affiliation

University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1990, American Society for Testing and Materials, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

2179463

Abstract

A recent bizarre homicide which culminated in the delivery of a live-born infant necessitated careful determination of true maternal origin. A 23-year-old pregnant woman was abducted, subdued, strangled, and delivered of a term infant by a crude Cesarean section. The infant was stolen and subsequently presented to physicians by a woman posing as the mother. Methods used to help confirm the surviving infant's parentage involved red cell antigen and enzyme system evaluations as well as immunoglobulin allotyping, which ultimately proved to be the most effective serologic test performed. The forensic science investigation of this unusual case also used bite mark analysis and patterned injury interpretation. Immunoglobulin allotyping is specifically discussed as a forensic serology test which is currently available and particularly applicable in cases involving parentage determination.

Language: en