Local News

Rapid DNA Company Used To ID California Wildfire Victims Under Scrutiny

June 20, 2019 / 9:31 AM PDT / CBS San Francisco

click to expand

AUSTIN, Texas (CBS / AP) — Texas officials are raising concerns over Rapid DNA analysis that has been used to identify wildfire victims in Northern California and verify family connections on the U.S.-Mexico border.

A state board asked a growing government provider of Rapid DNA equipment to halt any projects in the state amid worries that criminal cases were potentially jeopardized. That's according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press.

Texas officials say ANDE failed to partner with prosecutors while evidence was run on its machines, putting the integrity of some Houston cases at risk.

The company, Colorado-based ANDE, has been involved in several high-profile Rapid DNA projects nationwide in recent months.

In this photo taken November 16, 2018, Stephen Meer, chief information officer from ANDE, demonstrates in Chico, Calif., his company's Rapid DNA analysis system, which is being used to try to ID victims of the Northern California wildfire. Authorities have deployed a powerful tool to aid in their race to identify the remains of 77 bodies burned in the deadly wildfire that ripped through Northern California: Rapid DNA testing that produces results in just two hours. But the technology that can match DNA to bone fragments in as little as two hours is only as effective as the numbers of people who show up to give a sample, and so far there are not nearly enough volunteers. (Sudhin Thanawala / AP)

After the Camp Fire tore ripped through the Northern California town of Paradise late last year, ANDE provided equipment to authorities near the fire zone in an effort to identify victims.

An ANDE spokeswoman says no issues have been raised about the company's equipment and that how evidence is handled is up to law enforcement.

DNA
Wildfires