Columbus County Sheriff's Office and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Team with Othram to Identify 1979 Baby Doe
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Columbus County Sheriff's Office and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Team with Othram to Identify a 1979 Baby Doe
In 2024, investigators teamed with Othram to leverage identity inference, a process that enables investigators to identify individuals from DNA evidence, even when there is no known reference sample to initially compare against. Officials with the Columbus County Sheriff's Office and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation worked together to submit forensic evidence to Othram's laboratory headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas.
At Othram, scientists reviewed details of the case, determining that advanced DNA testing could help to identify the baby. Othram scientists worked to develop a DNA extract from the provided histopathology blocks, using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to build a comprehensive SNP profile for the newborn. This SNP profile powered a forensic search led by Forensic Genetic Genealogist Leslie Kaufman, resulting in new investigative leads about the baby's identity.
Using this new information, a follow-up investigation was conducted leading investigators to potential relatives of the baby. This investigation led to the
positive identification of the child's mother, who is now known to be Cathy McKee.
McKee, now 69, was recently arrested and charged with felony concealing the birth of a child. In 1979, McKee would have been about 22 years old.
