Forensic Aquatic Consulting & Training, LLC

We perform aquatic  abuse, injury, death, and homicide investigations and related consultation and expert witnessing for civil and criminal cases. Aquatic environments include, but are not limited to, bathtubs, spas, hot tubs,  pools, lakes, rivers, and oceans. 

In addition to performing case reviews we perform incident site studies and re-enactments, conduct research, write questions to ask opposing experts, and assist with finding additional experts if needed such as appropriate forensic pathologists, hydrologists, and trackers.

The cases we work include fatal and nonfatal drownings, scuba diving incidents, vehicles in water, boating incidents, aquatic domestic violence, law enforcement involved drownings, rescue and recovery operations, and more. Our two investigators offer more than 85 years of experience working in the aquatic industry. As a medicolegal death investigator, Zaferes offers an additional perspective on scene and death investigation.

Andrea Zaferes: is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, an Associate Member of the National Association of Medical Examiners, and is a member of the NYS Association of County Coroners and Medical Examiners, International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners. National Association of Underwater Instructors, and Professional Association of Diving Instructors, American Nitrox Diving Instructors, and American Canadian Underwater Certifications. She and Walter Hendrick co-authored three books, Public Safety Diver, Ice Rescue, Ice Diving Operations, Pennwell Publishing. Both have numerous article publications in Fire Engineering and a number of rescue and dive journals. Zaferes has several abstracts in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting Proceedings.

Zaferes has reviewed more than 4,000 body-found-in-water cases in such environments as buckets, bathtubs, pools, rivers, lakes, and oceans as well as diving related fatality cases. More than 16 years serving as a medicolegal death investigator for Dutchess County Medical Examiner Office. 18 years experience as an emergency medical technician. Published author. Taught more than 16,000 students across the U.S. and internationally in Aquatic Abuse, Death, and Homicidal Drowning Investigation programs, in aquatic rescue/recovery, and dive classes. Students include law enforcement, military, firefighter, medical, death investigator, diver, and jurisprudence personnel. Presented to more than 23,000 attendees in more than 120 forensic conferences, including NAME, AAFS, ICCME, CACC, CAWC, and more than 115 rescue/dive conferences. Testified in aquatic homicide cases.

Hendrick has been working in diving and the aquatic industry beginning in 1963 and has created a number of universally accepted and used standards, procedures, techniques, and equipment including the rescue throw rope bag, the Do-Si-Do rescue procedure, the 90% ready contingency diver in public safety diving, and the right-hand-release weight belt standard for both working and recreational divers.

Zaferes is the New York State Department of Criminal Justice Aquatic Abuse, Death, and Homicide Investigation Instructor. She and Hendrick are probono aquatic consultants for the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children. They have been asked to assist on cases nationally and internationally.