Legal Postmortem DNA Test

Postmortem DNA testing is more costly than other types of relationship testing because of the legal ramifications and documents required. A legal postmortem paternity test can be done for $850, which includes the deceased and one other person, such as an alleged child. In comparison, non-legal home tests can be used if the person is recently deceased, using specimens like hair or fingernails, and can be done for $650; however, the results of a home test cannot be used for legal purposes.

Attention NY Residents: A doctor's prescription is required for all DNA tests; additional lab fees must be paid directly to the lab.

Although DNA can last for thousands of year, the fact is that DNA is vulnerable, and can be easily broken down over time by water, sunlight, enzymes, as well as the chemicals in embalming fluid. Ideally, you should conduct postmortem testing as soon as possible after a person has died.

While it may seem obvious, DNA can not be obtained from a deceased person whose body has been cremated. DNA begins to degrade at 800 degrees, and the heat during cremation ranges from 1,400 to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. Cremation destroys all organic matter, including DNA.

If the person has not been buried or embalmed, the most reliable method of collecting DNA is using a blood card, hair follicles, or fingernail clippings. A coroner can help you with the blood card. If hair or fingernails are collected, it is important to provide at least a dozen or more samples.

Postmortem DNA testing is used to establish a relationship, such as paternity, after one of the parties has passed away. If there is uncertainty among surviving children about their family history, such as questions about the biological connection of the children to the parents who raised them, a DNA test can help bring clarity and closure. If the relationship in question may affect inheritance, estates, or other legal matters, a legal postmortem test should be used. If it is just for peace of mind to resolve questions in the minds of relatives, a home test using a specimen of the deceased may be appropriate.

You may hear this term used in connection with DNA paternity tests. If the father of a child (or children) is deceased and postmortem testing is not possible, or if the man refuses to be tested or cannot be located, this type of testing may be a suitable alternative. A genetic reconstruction test is actually a DNA test between relatives of the alleged father and his alleged child, such as an avuncular test. To ensure statistical significance, it needs to be a close relatve to the father, such as his mother, father, or a brother or sister. A third relative is typically required in this type of DNA test.

When you hear the term postmortem genetic testing, it might refer to testing used to identify a person's cause of death, or to determine if they carried genetic markers of inheritable diseases. On the other hand, Health Street's postmortem DNA testing is used to determine biological relationships between individuals. In other words, this test checks to see if a living person is related to someone has recently passed on.

You may be wondering how long DNA samples can be collected from deceased individuals. Human DNA has been recovered from the Romanov royal family, who were executed during the Russian revolution, and scientists were able to confirm the death of American outlaw Jesse James—also through DNA collection. In fact, forensic DNA testing was successfully done from a Neanderthal fossil that was 70,000 years old! However, testing the deceased is not quite that simple, as forensic scientists will point out. Therefore, the sooner you can do the test after demise, the easier it will be to obtain a viable sample.

Before proceeding with the test, you will need a court order or an attorney letter on a letterhead.

For DNA testing, we do not do site visits. DNA samples will need to be sent to our lab.