ABSTRACT
Fingerprint analysis (dactylography) and the examination of dental records (odontology) are commonly used and relatively inexpensive investigative techniques for identifying missing persons or decedents. These approaches are inadequate for every case, and as commonly known, DNA testing offers a viable alternative. Despite the greater cost and time investment, emerging technologies and scientific advances in DNA analysis have expanded law enforcement officials’ ability to locate a missing person or identify a decedent. For example, one underutilized technique is the use of Phenylketonuria (PKU) test cards, or Guthrie cards. For decades, all state departments of health have collected neonate PKU records (also called infant blood spot cards), albeit with different retention schedules.
Data from the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) indicates that there are more than 11,000 missing persons and more than 10,000 unidentified decedents currently being investigated by authorities in the United States. Often, decomposition, exposure to nature, or both complicate the identification of an unknown decedent. In these cases, information from post-mortem fingerprint analysis and dental records may be unavailable or insufficient for positive identification. However, DNA collected from the unknown decedent may be compared to neonatal PKU cards in countries or states that archive these records.
This chapter describes PKU tests as a primary reference that can provide authorities with requisite DNA information and be used in diverse forensic settings—from recent incidents to cold cases, as well as from incidents occurring in urban or non-urban areas. The chapter also reviews current PKU card retention schedules, and offers recommendations to improve the availability of these records for law enforcement and medical professionals. Further, the chapter discusses the ethical issues involved in using PKU test results, including access to protected medical records, individual privacy, securing parental consent, etc., and the policy implications of obtaining such confidential health information are examined.
Chapter sections include the background of PKU cards, as well as three specific discussions illustrating how existing PKU results can assist with missing persons, disaster victims, and death investigations.
