title: The identification of maternity in an unusual pregnancy-related homicide.
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.
authors.affiliation: University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno.
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Zumwalt
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Schanfield
mesh_terms: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D000328:Adult; D001237:Asphyxia; D001734:Bites, Human / Q000473:pathology; D002423:Cause of Death; D002585:Cesarean Section; D003735:Dental Casting Technique; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006708:Homicide; D006801:Humans; D007126:Immunoglobulin Allotypes / Q000032:analysis; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009035:Mothers; D010641:Phenotype; D011247:Pregnancy; D011336:Probability; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System; D006680:HLA Antigens; D007126:Immunoglobulin Allotypes