Fallacies in the Determination of Sex in Subadult Skeletal Remains: A Critical Review

Accurate sex estimation is a cornerstone of forensic and bioarchaeological investigations, yet significant challenges remain when applying adult-based morphological criteria to subadult skeletal remains. Drawing on a comprehensive range of studies that evaluate both metric and non-metric traits-including assessments of the pelvis, cranial features, and long bones-this review assesses the effectiveness of these methods in sex determination. Research consistently demonstrates that while adult skeletal elements exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism and yield high accuracy, the immature skeleton displays considerable overlap in morphological traits. Reported accuracy rates for subadult sex estimation frequently fall between 68% and 72%, underscoring the inherent limitations of relying solely on morphology for these age groups. A case report of skeletal remains recovered approximately one month postmortem from an individual estimated to be 9–12 years old further illustrates these challenges, as standard morphological assessments failed to provide a conclusive determination of sex. The review concludes that, compared to adults, the morphological criteria currently employed do not satisfactorily support reliable sex estimation in subadults, emphasizing the need for continued methodological refinement tailored specifically to immature skeletal populations