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48 S.U. L. Rev. 1 (2020-2021)
Whose Job Is It Anyway? Recovering Louisiana's Dead after a Disaster

handle is hein.journals/soulr48 and id is 5 raw text is: WHOSE JOB IS IT ANYWAY? RECOVERING LOUISIANA'S DEAD AFTER A DISASTER' By: Ryan M. Seidemann2 and Christine L. Halling3 I. INTRODUCTION Often lost in the human calamity that is caused by natural disasters is the impact that such catastrophic events have on the dead. This reality makes logical sense: it should be the immediate concern of governments and first responders to minister to the sufferings of the living. However, as has been seen time and again in Louisiana, part of the suffering of the living that results from the impacts of these events-often tropical cyclonic activity- results from worry and concern over the damage done to the final resting places of the dead.4 In the immediate wake of Hurricane 1. The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the Authors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Louisiana Department of Justice or the Attorney General. The Authors are indebted to the many people who have assisted them in past and current cemetery disaster response efforts. These people include, but are not limited to, Arbie Goings, Henry Yennie, Carol Walker, and Lucy McCann. 2. Ryan M. Seidemann holds a B.A. from Florida State University and M.A. from Louisiana State University in anthropology, as well as a B.C.L. and a J.D. in law from Louisiana State University. He is currently enrolled as a doctoral student in the Department of Planning and Urban Studies at the University of New Orleans. He is the Section Chief of the Lands & Natural Resources Section, Civil Division, Louisiana Department of Justice, as well as being an adjunct professor of law at Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a death investigator for the West Baton Rouge Parish Coroner's Office. He is also a Registered Professional Archaeologist. 3. Christine L. Halling holds a B.S. (Minnesota State University, Mankato) in Anthropology and a M.S. (University of Indianapolis) in Human Biology. She is currently employed as the Anthropologist of the Lands & Natural Resources Section, Civil Division, Louisiana Department of Justice. She is a Registered Professional Archaeologist and has trained in forensic anthropology, bioarchaeology, and human biology. Prior to her current employment, she taught anatomy and physiology coursework and was the lab director for the Kampsville Human Osteology and Bioarchaeology Field School. 4. Ashley Joseph, Hurricane Laura Causes Caskets to Float Away in Cameron Parish, KPLC (Sept. 15, 2020, 10:29 PM), https://www.kplctv.com/2020/09/15/hurricane-laura-causes-caskets-float-away- cameron-parish/ (last accessed Sept. 21, 2020).