Toxicology Case Study

What Do We Tell the Sheriff?

Determining Minimum

Numbers of Individuals

(MNI) for a Scatter of

Human Bones

by

Phoebe R. Stubblefield and Elizabeth A. Scharf

Department of Anthropology

University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND

Part I – A Walk in the Park

It is a gorgeous fall day and people are enjoying it by bicycling, hiking, and picnicking at Itasca State Park. The

day’s mood changes however when you receive a phone call from the local sheriff’s office asking your forensic

anthropology team to come out to the state park.

“A hiker found some bones near Lake Itasca and wants us to come out and identify them. We’re wondering if

these are the three brothers who disappeared last summer. Can you help us?”

You tell them that you’ll be there as soon as possible and quickly place a few calls to other members of your

forensic team. You load your SUV and drive over to Itasca State Park to meet your colleagues and investigate

the situation.

Write answers to the following questions in your notebook:

. What questions do you want to answer at this scene?

. What data will you collect and how?

. What equipment will you pack in the vehicle?

Now share your answers with members of your group and tell me:

. Did you get the same answers as other group members? Why or why not?

After discussing this as a whole class, go to Part II.

“What Do We Tell the Sheriff?” by Stubblefield and Scharf

Page 

Part II – A First Assessment

The sheriff’s officers and the hiker lead you to the scene. By the time you arrive, there is only half-an-hour of

daylight remaining. In the somewhat secluded glade of trees you see scattered bones. While the sheriff’s officers

hurriedly photograph the scene, you map the bone scatter and determine that the bones are human. One of

your team members compiles a preliminary inventory as you collect each bone:

•  skulls

•  femora

•  os coxae

•  humeri

•  tibiae

•  scapulae

Refer as needed to your handout entitled “Human...