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Deceased Infants


The foregoing has dealt with the securing of fingerprints of unknown

deceased persons for identification purposes. The basis for such

action is the presumptive possibility that the unknowns had been

fingerprinted previously and through this medium might be identified.



Another type of problem, however, arises with the finding of a

deceased infant. It can be safely assumed that the possibility of

there bein
in existence a set of known fingerprints of the infant is

extremely remote. Nevertheless, in view of the fact that many

hospitals throughout the country, as part of the general routine of

recording a birth, secure the infant's footprints, it would follow

that there could be a remote possibility of identifying the deceased

infant through its footprints. The foregoing principles and procedures

would then apply in securing the foot impression of a deceased infant.

It is fully realized that in practically all cases involving the

finding of an abandoned infant corpse the infant is probably

illegitimate issue and delivery did not occur in a hospital, but there

have been instances where such was not the case.



The importance of securing footprints of deceased infants killed in a

common disaster cannot be overemphasized. Such disasters may involve

the death of infants of lawful issue, and in many instances there are

hospital footprint records available which may prove of value as a

positive means of identification.



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