State Hopes To Match DNA Samples To Unidentified Bodies In Morgues
DETROIT (WWJ) - Michigan has more than 140 sets of unidentified human remains in its morgues around the state --- and more than 4,000 missing persons cases.
The Michigan State Police and the Wayne County Medical Examiners are hoping to close the books on some of those missing cases by holding a DNA drive on Tuesday.
MSP Detective Sarah Krebs says they are desperate to identify remains:
"A lot of our cases are beyond recognition and they are skeletonized, they are mummified - we don't have a lot of information about who that person was in life and it's very hard for law enforcement to investigate it because of that," said Krebs.
Sharon Murray told WWJ's Marie Osborne that when a loved one goes missing you are always searching.
"I see someone walk from the back that walks like him or his profile - try and look at their face, be discrete, look at them and hope that it is my brother," she said.
Maurice's brother Randall Childs has been missing for two years and she has given DNA to this program. She is relentless in her search, and has searched the morgue several times to view bodies in hopes of finding her brother.
"Sometimes when I'm face to face - I have hope - then the next day there is no hope," said Murray. "I was calling down here so much ... they knew it was me looking for my brother."
Childs went missing in June of 2011 and she is hoping that a cheek swab for DNA identification will be the beginning of bringing her peace.
The Michigan State Police and the Wayne County Medical Examiners are holding a DNA drive in an effort to I.D. some of those remains. The event runs until 6 p.m Tuesday night.
