Thursday, December 11, 2014

A bible, a toothbrush and tattered family photo

 
Those are the heartbreaking and pitiful possessions found on the skeletal remains of those killed trying to cross into the U.S.

Each year, Arizona's Pima County Medical Examiner's Office receives about 176 remains found in the desert on the U.S-Mexico border. Most of the remains belong to undocumented immigrants who died of dehydration trying to cross into the U.S. Forensic anthropologists try to identify the remains to be repatriated to their home countries, but those that are unidentified are cremated. In addition to the remains, the medical examiner also sifts through the personal items found on the bodies.

See pics after the cut...


Left behind: The crucifix of a broken rosary and coins that belonged to a person whose skeletal remains were found in the Arizona desert on September 12, 2014Belongings: Each year, the Pima County Medical Examiner's Office receives about 176 remains recovered from the desert, most of which belong to undocumented immigrants who died of dehydration trying to cross into the U.S. Above, a bible, chapstick and lighter found on a body discovered June 19, 2014 Prized possession: Forensic anthropologists try to identify the bodies, and return them to their home countries, along with personal items. Others are cremated. Above, a ring found on an identified woman's remains Family: Currency from Mexico and Honduras, a bracelet and a child's portrait are among the items found on this body, recovered from the Arizona desert on June 10, 2014 Casualties: Forensic technician Kristine Clor handles human remains in the refrigerated morgue of the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner on December 9, 2014 in Tucson, ArizonaPhoto: A fading picture is preserved next to toiletries and a cellphone among one person's personal itemsBills: American and Mexican money is kept in a sealed bag of personal effects at the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner on December 9, 2014 in Tucson, ArizonaSick: The personal items of this deceased person show that he or she might have been sick at the time of death, since they were carrying Vick's VapoRub. Their body was discovered in the Arizona desert on September 23, 2014Last words: A letter to a loved one was found among money and other personal items on this unidentified person. Their body was discovered in the Arizona desert on October 9, 2014All that remains: A comb, change and a Mexican identification are kept in a sealed bag of personal effects at the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner on December 9, 2014 in Tucson, Arizona. The items were with the decomposed remains of a Mexican male, 25, found in the Arizona desert on August 1, 2014Who were they? Forensic anthropologist Tracy Van Deest takes an inventory of skeletal bones at the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner on December 9, 2014 in Tucson, Arizona
Resting place: Above, some of the human remains stored in teh refreigerated morgue at the Pima County Office 


Source: Daily Mail
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