
WRTV: Coroner: Bone found in missing SUV
UC forensic anthropologist explains how a single bone might solve missing persons case
In mid-October, a single bone was found when police located a submerged SUV in the Ohio river in Dearborn County, Indiana. The bone might belong to Stephanie Nguyen, who went missing nearly 20 years ago, along with her two children.
“I wouldn't expect the bone to be dissolved or anything after 20 years in water," says Cheryl Johnston, a forensic anthropologist in UC’s Department of Anthropology.
Johnston, who is not involved in the investigation, says it's unclear whether the bone could still contain DNA, but the chances are favorable given the region’s environmental elements and the location of the vehicle on the Ohio/Indiana border.
"In Ohio we have pretty good preservation because of the soil chemistry here," Johnston said.
The WRTV interview first appeared on local WCPO and was syndicated regionally.
Featured image at top of Ohio River. Photo/Schlabach/Unsplash.
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
Computer appreciation class highlights technology’s impact on...
August 18, 2022
Ever wonder how everyday technology works? Your phone? Gaming systems? Search? A new University of Cincinnati course offered this fall, ‘CS-CA1001: Computer Appreciation: Thinking and Creating Like a Computer Scientist,’ is designed to give students of all majors an introduction into the field of computer science. The goal of the course is to demystify various aspects of computer science, including how computing machines are harnessed to solve problems in game playing, discover information, and control simple robots. The course will also cover the implications of computing technologies on safety, security, and ethics.
WVXU: How you can prepare now for the upcoming fall allergy...
August 18, 2022
Ahmad Sedaghat, MD, PhD, associate professor and director of the Division of Rhinology, Allergy and Anterior Skull Base Surgery in the UC College of Medicine and a UC Health physician was interviewed by WVXU about the upcoming fall ragweed season.
Design World: Medical applications of 3-D printing
August 18, 2022
Design World featured the University of Cincinnati's Frank Rybicki in an article about different ways CAD and 3-D printing have helped advance medical care.