Artifizielle enterdigung durch witterungseinflüsse

After heavy rainfall lasting for several days, a landslide occurred in a cemetery situated on a hillside which destroyed graves, excavating 19 coffins. In order to identify the coffins, bodies and bones for reburial, the cemetery office had prepared a register including age sex and the date of the burial. After an initial orientating inspection of the location, the bodies and bones were placed in new coffins and transported to the Institute of Legal Medicine in Bonn where extensive investigations were carried out. Based on a checklist designed by the forensic investigation team, relatives were asked to give details on characteristic features of the deceased, previous diseases, dental records and funeral clothing. Within 4 days all excavated bodies were successfully Identified for reburial. The forensic investigations and identification procedure are discussed in detail.