photo comparison

[Meelystar]

Sorry I'm not trying to be indelicate but I think people are unclear. Is the point here that you are questioning whether your Mother in fact survived and choose to disappear? I think it's fairly obvious that if she is the woman in the photo she obviously isn't the same person That was identified as your mother who took 16 days to locate.
I would like to say you have my sympathy this position of doubt that you find yourself in must be very distressing.

[Ruskie]

No, no verycurious, you have not caused any trouble at all.

Everyone feels dreadful about this and though most of us can't begin to understand how you feel, I (and perhaps others) are trying to work out why you have doubts that this is your Mother. Sorry to say that I think we are all fairly sure it is her.

It could be worth contacting the photographer again as suggested earlier, to ask if he took more photos that day, which may show your mother from a different angle which may help reassure you. I still claim that the ring must have removed any doubt that it is her.

[HeatherLynne]

Very wise words from phenolphthalein there. 

My condolences for your sad loss.  Like many others who've replied to this thread I think that does look very much like your Mum. 

Is the issue that your Mum wasn't wearing the ring on the day concerned and that's how you have it, in which case that isn't her in the photo?  Or if the ring was returned to you with her belongings then surely that goes some way to confirming it is her in the photo?

Photo comparison software has it's limitations, particularly if the photos to be compared are taken from very different angles.  I think I'd be inclined to put more weight on the view of multiple people who didn't know her but can see a definite likeness.

Josphine's post at reply#21 has some important questions that could help find the truth, maybe you've answered them to her personally.   

You'll find most people on RootsChat are kind and genuine and we all want to help.  As she said Ruskie wasn't intending to be insensitive, she expressed something I too was wondering.

As phenolphthalein says, take comfort that she was helped and supported.
Hoping you can find some peace.

[verycurious16]

I tried to find an older picture of her. But that box of pictures seem to come up missing. :-(
But when I get back home I will look again. Maybe I just over looked it. I can tell you in the older picture she has gray hair.

[Josephine]

Another thought: have you spoken to co-workers who were with your mother that day but survived (if there were any)? They might have a sense of the likelihood of the woman in the photo being your mother.

Regards,
Josephine

[matthewj64]

I have searched for other photos and have not been able to find any.
I am not sure if anybody did ID a body or not. It took 16 days to find her.
I do have a ring that does resemble the shape of that one..

It would be worth following up on the ID, there would likely be a paper trail that explains how an identity was made.

The person in the rescue photo is wearing the ring on their pinky finger - would there be a photo of your mother with a ring on that finger?

M

[Ruskie]

Someone must have identified her body verycurious.

The photo where she is injured appears to have been taken quite shortly after the event. Is the photographer able to tell you the date and time that he took it?

You say it took 16 days to find her - are you saying that it took the rescuers 16 days to find her? That doesn't look to be the case judging by this photo, which appears to have been taken very shortly after the event. Or, are you saying that it took 16 days for her to be positively identified? Surely her family knew where she worked and that she was missing after the bombing so was likely to have been a victim. did the family contact the authorities immediately to tell them?

I agree with Matthew that you should try to find out who identified her.

You seem a little unsure if the ring on her finger is the same as the ring in your possession. You only say it "resembles" the ring in the photo. Did someone give you that ring and tell you it was one of your mother's possessions? Have you closely compared the ring with that in the closeup? Is it the same? If you are unsure, take a photo of it and we will tell you what we think.

May I ask what age you were when you lost your mother? You obviously don't have to answer that if you don't wish to.

[DavidG02]

As with everyone else I am sorry for the traumatic time your family went through and I hope we can guide you to some closure.

I too think the picture slide matthew provided leave only a small doubt in my mind.

Once again this isn't being insensitive but asking questions to help move your query forward. Was there a cause of death on the death certificate( apart from massive trauma) I ask because in the photo the person seems to be standing and while obviously injured there seems little major trauma that would lead to her passing.

I recall the time and the focus for us overseas was on the building and the victims and the perpetrators, but for you closer to the incident it became a personal one. Like others I ask why the 16 day delay in identity?

Is it your suggestion your mother may possibly still be alive and living in an amnesia mystery?

I hope you find the answers you seek but for your ID question I would also say it is similar to the photos provided.

[verycurious16]

Those are all very good questions and questions I have asked but have received no answers for.
The ID was made by medical records and all the autopsy papers said was total body crush.
As for talking to the people she worked with. They don't remember seeing her that day. Because Wednesdays she was usually gone to court.
She was also in the Military so there are a lot of unanswered questions.
I would just like some closure to it all.