An Aquatic Decomposition Scoring Method to Potentially Predict the Postmortem Submersion Interval of Bodies Recovered from the North Sea

Marjolijn A. van Daalen, Dorothée S. de Kat, Bernice F. L. Oude Grotebevelsborg, Roosje de Leeuwe, Jeroen Warnaar, Roelof Jan Oostra, Wilma L. J. M. Duijst-Heesters

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

43 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study aimed to develop an aquatic decomposition scoring (ADS) method and investigated the predictive value of this method in estimating the postmortem submersion interval (PMSI) of bodies recovered from the North Sea. This method, consisting of an ADS item list and a pictorial reference atlas, showed a high interobserver agreement (Krippendorff's alpha0.93) and hence proved to be valid. This scoring method was applied to data, collected from closed casescases in which the postmortal submersion interval (PMSI) was knownconcerning bodies recovered from the North Sea from 1990 to 2013. Thirty-eight cases met the inclusion criteria and were scored by quantifying the observed total aquatic decomposition score (TADS). Statistical analysis demonstrated that TADS accurately predicts the PMSI (p <0.001), confirming that the decomposition process in the North Sea is strongly correlated to time
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)369-373
JournalJournal of forensic sciences
Volume62
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017

Cite this