Facial approximation of ‘Angel’: Case specific methodological review

A forensic facial approximation is typically undertaken to generate further leads to identity of the deceased, and over the past ten years there has been a considerable increase in the number of verified relationships concerning the skull and likely facial appearance. This paper describes the evidence and methods used to approximate the face and facial features of a young woman whose remains were found in the Belanglo State Forest (New South Wales, Australia) in August 2010. A review of methodologically analogous forensic facial approximations (i.e. involving some degree of manual manipulation to achieve the results), and published in international academic journals since 2000, indicates that it is common for methodological description to be minimal. Furthermore, what information is provided clearly shows a surprisingly enduring preference for applying ‘legacy’ skull–soft tissue relationships, despite most of these recommendations having been proven invalid.