Finding into death of Unknown Human Remains

Rule 60(1)

FORM 37

Section 67 of the Coroners Act 2008

Court Reference: 1917/2009

FINDING INTO DEATH WITH INQUEST

Inquest into the Death of UNKNOWN REMAINS COMPRISING A HUMAN SKELETON

Delivered On: Delivered At:

Hearing Dates:

Findings of: Location:

SCAU

3 September 2010 Melbourne

3 September 2010 Coroner Parkinson Melbourne

Senior Constable Tracy Weir

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Version 2 as at 25 November 2009

Court Reference: 1917/2009

FORM 37 Rule 60(1)

FINDING INTO DEATH WITH INQUEST

Section 67 of the Coroners Act 2008

In the Coroners Court of Victoria at Melbourne

I Kim M. W. Parkinson Coroner having investigated the death of: Details of decéased:

Unidentified Human UNKNOWN REMAINS COMPRISING A HUMAN Remains: SKELETON

AND having held an inquest on 3 September 2010 At Melbourne —

Find: that the identity of the deccased was unknown and that the remains comprising a pattial human skeleton

That: the death occurred at an unknown date At: an unknown location

From: an unknown cause.

In the following circumstances:

1. This matter was listed for inquest this day.

2. In April 2009 Mr Kingsley Barker attended at Sandringham police station and relinquished a partial skeleton which he described as having been in the possession of his father, a medical

doctor since the 1960’s. It was a teaching skeleton and obtained by Dr Barker as part of his

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medical studies,

3. On 14 April 2009 the skeleton was examined by Dr Christopher Briggs, Associate Professor

Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Melbourne University and Forensic , Anthropologist with the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine. Dr Briggs reported that

the skeleton was an incomplete human skeleton and that it was typical of a Caucasian origin and likely to have originated in the Indian Sub-contincnt in the period described by Mr Baker, He reported that sex and age of the remains is undetermined. He further reported that the skeleton had indicia of a teaching set including muscle markings on the bones and screws which connected the calvariaum to the vault, all typical of student teaching sets

which were available for purchase up to the early 1980's.

4. Iam satisfied that no further investigation is required, I find that the bones comprising the partial skeleton in this case are human. On the available evidence it is not possible to make findings as to identity, where, when or in what circumstances the person died. In the circumstances, I find that the bones are of Caucasian origin and were likely to have been

part of a medical teaching set.

5. Torder that as that no persori makes claim to recovery or return of the remains that the bones be released by the Coroner’s Court of Victoria for public burial at an approved facility and

location,

Coroner Kim M. W. Parkinson Date: 3 September 2010

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