There are over 700 unidentified remains in the RCMP’s national database of missing persons and unidentified remains. A unique partnership may help to solve some of these cases. The RCMP is partnering with the New York Academy of Art to reconstruct some of the faces.

Next week, the Academy is hosting a forensic sculpture workship, using 3D-printed versions of 15 real skulls supplied by the RCMP. The students will use their anatomical knowledge and artistic skills to reconstruct the faces with clay.

Technicians from the National Research Council scanned the skulls and printed the 3D versions. The process will be highlighted on the RCMP’s social media channels next week, then 15 new faces will be revealed and featured on the Canada’s Missing website, to hopefully garner some tips that can help in identification to give some closure to families.

A news release from the RCMP says the hope is to eventually bring this type of workshop to Canada, to build facial recognition capacity here and bring more people home.

Click here for the link to the Missing Persons website.