08-07-2025
Forensic archaeologists flown in to analyse mass grave
Forensic archaeologists and crime scene experts are set to begin excavating and identifying the remains of approximately 800 infants at a former church-run home in Tuam, Ireland.
The remains of 802 children, aged from newborns to three-year-olds, were buried at the home for unmarried mothers between 1925 and 1961.
A government investigation, launched after an amateur historian uncovered evidence of an unmarked mass grave, found an "appalling" 15 per cent mortality rate among children in Catholic Church-run homes.
The excavation project is described as "incredibly complex" due to co-mingled remains, difficulty in determining the gender of infants, and challenges with DNA recovery and archival data.
The dig is expected to take around two years, with specialists from multiple countries collaborating on the sensitive project.
