Representatives from Fundación Amparo y Justicia participated in the Congress of the European Academy of Forensic Science (EAFS), the most important forensic science event in Europe, held every three years and which took place this edition in Dublin, Ireland. The event brought together more than 1,200 professionals from around the world to share advances, challenges, and best practices in the field of forensic science.
Representing the Foundation were Alejandro Espinoza, Board President; Ena von Baer, Executive Vice President; Loreto Moore, Executive Director; Carolina Sobarzo, sociologist and researcher in the Research and Public Policy Area; and Yohanna Douglas, psychologist in the Training Area. Amparo y Justicia’s presence at this event reaffirms its commitment to strengthening international networks and continuously updating itself on key issues for the protection of children and the improvement of the Chilean justice system.
As part of the congress, the team conducted a technical visit to the Sheffield Children’s Hospital in England, where they met with the renowned Dr. Marta Cohen, a pediatric forensic pathologist. During the tour of the specialized facilities for conducting pediatric autopsies, Dr. Cohen presented the English model for investigating homicides of children and adolescents (NNA).
The expert explained that in England, these investigations are led by the police, and that autopsies are carried out in hospitals equipped with suitable conditions both for the technical procedures and for supporting the families. She also highlighted the active presence of the pediatric forensic pathologist in each case, the collaborative work with law enforcement agencies, and the immediate availability of key medical specialties to clarify the causes of death.
From Fundación Amparo y Justicia, this experience is valued as a concrete contribution to the work that has been underway since 2023 with the Intersectoral Group for the Prevention and Investigation of Homicides of Children and Adolescents (NNA), an initiative aimed at improving the State’s response to these crimes through interagency collaboration, the adoption of international best practices, and the promotion of specialized standards in the investigation of these offenses.
