14 people 'spoiled Arboga crime scene'
The lack of forensic evidence in the high profile Arboga child murder case is a direct result of at least 14 people unwittingly spoiling the crime scene, experts say.
Healthcare workers and police both entered the house where two children were brutally murdered on March 17th before forensic tests could be carried out, the court heard on the second last day of the trial.
“This made it impossible to find any DNA to compare with a suspected perpetrator,” said one expert witness.
Apart from the two dead children, Saga and Max, their seriously injured mother, Emma Jangestig, and her boyfriend, Torgny Hellberg, forensic expert Weine Drotz calculated that a further 14 people -- consisting of ambulance staff and police officers – had made it almost impossible to gather evidence.
“That kind of crime scene does not lend itself to finding small, invisible traces such as a speck of saliva. Unless there is a clear glob of spit it is difficult to find DNA,” said Drotz.
Suspect Christine Schürrer’s lawyer pointed out that a forensic team had found a strand of hair containing DNA that could not be traced to the suspect or anyone else known to have been at the scene of the crime.
“Is it correct that you found a strand of hair from an unknown man?” asked Per-Ingvar Ekblad.
“Yes, or a boy,” said Drotz.
Medical examiner Dr Lars Eriksson testified that the children, Max, 3, and Saga, 2, had died of brain injuries after being struck repeatedly in the head with what he suspected was a hammer.
“I estimate that the boy was hit at least 15 times. He seems to have tried to protect himself by holding up his hand, which was also injured. The girl received around ten blows,” said Eriksson.
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Healthcare workers and police both entered the house where two children were brutally murdered on March 17th before forensic tests could be carried out, the court heard on the second last day of the trial.
“This made it impossible to find any DNA to compare with a suspected perpetrator,” said one expert witness.
Apart from the two dead children, Saga and Max, their seriously injured mother, Emma Jangestig, and her boyfriend, Torgny Hellberg, forensic expert Weine Drotz calculated that a further 14 people -- consisting of ambulance staff and police officers – had made it almost impossible to gather evidence.
“That kind of crime scene does not lend itself to finding small, invisible traces such as a speck of saliva. Unless there is a clear glob of spit it is difficult to find DNA,” said Drotz.
Suspect Christine Schürrer’s lawyer pointed out that a forensic team had found a strand of hair containing DNA that could not be traced to the suspect or anyone else known to have been at the scene of the crime.
“Is it correct that you found a strand of hair from an unknown man?” asked Per-Ingvar Ekblad.
“Yes, or a boy,” said Drotz.
Medical examiner Dr Lars Eriksson testified that the children, Max, 3, and Saga, 2, had died of brain injuries after being struck repeatedly in the head with what he suspected was a hammer.
“I estimate that the boy was hit at least 15 times. He seems to have tried to protect himself by holding up his hand, which was also injured. The girl received around ten blows,” said Eriksson.
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