Police investigate sexual abuse of corpses
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian police are investigating a report that bodies donated to a Sydney university for medical research were sexually abused and that coffins were filled with parts from multiple bodies.
A Sydney newspaper reported Tuesday that University of New South Wales (NSW) documents showed that body parts had been interfered with sexually in the school of anatomy, which had its license to conduct anatomy classes revoked last November over improper labeling and storage of human remains.
The Sydney Morning Herald said university documents showed a staff member fondled breasts and vaginas of bodies and used the head of one body in a degrading way.
It also said body parts had not been placed in correct coffins, and coffins were filled with parts from multiple bodies.
"These are appalling and deeply concerning allegations. The matter has now been referred to police," NSW state Health Minister John Hatzistergos told reporters.
"The generosity of people who donate their bodies for medical research benefit us all in the training of our doctors and the advancement of medical research," said Hatzistergos.
"These people, and their families, deserve to know their remains are being treated with dignity and respect."
An audit of the anatomy department last November found bodies and body parts had been mixed up and that the university may have to conduct DNA testing to identity them, the Sydney Morning Herald said.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Richard Henry said the university was still trying to identify which bodies were involved and had yet to contact families.
"We'd like to apologize for any distress those families are suffering at the moment," Henry told local radio. "The difficulty is we are still trying to fully understand what happened."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070206/...alia_bodies_dc
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian police are investigating a report that bodies donated to a Sydney university for medical research were sexually abused and that coffins were filled with parts from multiple bodies.
A Sydney newspaper reported Tuesday that University of New South Wales (NSW) documents showed that body parts had been interfered with sexually in the school of anatomy, which had its license to conduct anatomy classes revoked last November over improper labeling and storage of human remains.
The Sydney Morning Herald said university documents showed a staff member fondled breasts and vaginas of bodies and used the head of one body in a degrading way.
It also said body parts had not been placed in correct coffins, and coffins were filled with parts from multiple bodies.
"These are appalling and deeply concerning allegations. The matter has now been referred to police," NSW state Health Minister John Hatzistergos told reporters.
"The generosity of people who donate their bodies for medical research benefit us all in the training of our doctors and the advancement of medical research," said Hatzistergos.
"These people, and their families, deserve to know their remains are being treated with dignity and respect."
An audit of the anatomy department last November found bodies and body parts had been mixed up and that the university may have to conduct DNA testing to identity them, the Sydney Morning Herald said.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Richard Henry said the university was still trying to identify which bodies were involved and had yet to contact families.
"We'd like to apologize for any distress those families are suffering at the moment," Henry told local radio. "The difficulty is we are still trying to fully understand what happened."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070206/...alia_bodies_dc
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