[nolist_policy]

Morale of the story: Don't use face/fingerprint unlock. Sooner or later you/they will need to use the password anyway.

[stctw]

The device in question had no locking enabled of any kind. The associated Apple ID account was locked by Apple without warning, and so the phone itself was locked for any use other than emergency calls.

[lostlogin]

Wouldn’t face or fingerprint be more likely to be useable when memory issues strike (like they did for the OP)?