Hounds, in reply to your post. Dental records, I only added that to suggest that her head and face would possibly have been compacted/disfigured to the extent where it would preclude dental matching.
Re: Funeral director and your issues there.
The funeral director told me first that there were hardly ANY cases he knew of where the body could not be restored for viewing. They have cosmetics and prosthetics (similar to those used in movies, for example) which can be applied to mask almost any condition. Even partial compaction. We have to go outside of the box and realize that the body after autopsy is an empty shell and can be reconstructed.
Of course it is going to be traumatic for families of murder victims. He said, however, that funeral home routinely does encourage family to view - especially if it is a child - for closure. There is a protocol where the family is given total preparation beforehand. He stated that families have been known to sue if they claimed they were not "prepared" or "denied a chance" to view the body. He cited an instance where the deceased had been decomposed and the family threatened to sue because they said they weren't prepared for the "smell". So funeral homes have to be very careful to follow these protocols. He has also personally dealt with many murder victims (viewing, memorial, funeral) and with LE.
He said he personally knew of no instances where LE would deny the family the right to view. That in some instances, LE needs family to view for congruent identification purposes. So, I am not sure who DT meant when she said "they" weren't going to let her see Somer. I am not even sure who would "strongly encourage her" not to see Somer. Based on what he told me.
I will add my personal opinion (MOO) here. We know that Somer was found clothed, and at least her legs were intact (scraped knee) so she was not totally compacted. Was there compaction on upper body? Even so, according to C. (funeral director), she could be restored for viewing, as stated above.
I asked him why LE would take a white dress to the funeral home if the body was not suitable for viewing (compacted) and he said that the funeral homes ALWAYS dress a body for dignity purposes of the deceased, no matter what condition it is in. He said, "you would be amazed how many ways we have of dressing a body - the body is very pliable..." I found this very touching, that Somer was indeed dressed in her little white dress before she was laid to rest. Later, when I saw everyone in purple but Abby in white, I cried.
Sorry I have not spoken to him since. If anyone has any questions, he told me I could call him any time. He is the funeral home director of two homes - a family business and a long standing respected business in our community.
Hope this helps.