Is it Human...or Animal?

The Ada County Coroner's Office is called upon to investigate many different aspects of death.  Occasionally we are dispatched to respond to "suspicious" or "unusual" findings by the public.  These may include the discovery of bones found when digging for new construction or maybe just someone digging a hole in the backyard.  It is our responsibility to investigate these items.  So was the case on March 25, 2007 when the Deputy Coroner on call was dispatched to a location on Hill Road in Boise where the owner of the property had been moving some firewood from a stack next to a barn in a horse corral.  He had horses in the corral and was walking near one of the horses and happened to look down and see a "hand" in the manure.  He contacted the Ada County Sheriff's Office and they responded to the scene.  The Ada County Coroner's office was soon called to also respond.

The appendage appeared to have been severed from the upper arm by a sharp instrument such as an axe or possibly a saw.

The Ada County Sheriff's Dept. sent Detectives and Crime Lab staff to the scene to look for other bones or body parts that could be associated with this discovery.  The Deputy Coroner photographed and then carefully placed the "hand" in a collection bag for transport.

The "hand" was taken to the Forensic Lab at the Ada County Coroner's Office for further inspection. 

 

                          

                                        Dog Paw X-ray                                                             Human Hand X-ray

THE RESULTS...

After Forensic Examination of the appendage,

it was determined that it was the paw of an animal... not human.

Is it Human...or Animal?

The Ada County Coroner's Office is called upon to investigate many different aspects of death.  Occasionally we are dispatched to respond to "suspicious" or "unusual" findings by the public.  These may include the discovery of bones found when digging for new construction or maybe just someone digging a hole in the backyard.  It is our responsibility to investigate these items.  So was the case on March 25, 2007 when the Deputy Coroner on call was dispatched to a location on Hill Road in Boise where the owner of the property had been moving some firewood from a stack next to a barn in a horse corral.  He had horses in the corral and was walking near one of the horses and happened to look down and see a "hand" in the manure.  He contacted the Ada County Sheriff's Office and they responded to the scene.  The Ada County Coroner's office was soon called to also respond.

The appendage appeared to have been severed from the upper arm by a sharp instrument such as an axe or possibly a saw.

The Ada County Sheriff's Dept. sent Detectives and Crime Lab staff to the scene to look for other bones or body parts that could be associated with this discovery.  The Deputy Coroner photographed and then carefully placed the "hand" in a collection bag for transport.

The "hand" was taken to the Forensic Lab at the Ada County Coroner's Office for further inspection. 

 

                          

                                        Dog Paw X-ray                                                             Human Hand X-ray

THE RESULTS...

After Forensic Examination of the appendage,

it was determined that it was the paw of an animal... not human.