Some families in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley are facing uncertainty after discovering that the ashes they buried may not belong to their deceased loved ones. Despite this, an expert in DNA testing explains that identifying the remains using this technology is challenging.
The former Serenity Funeral Home’s new owners recently informed several families that ashes of their deceased relatives were found in storage.
Michelle Carey utilized Serenity’s services for her father, Hendrik (Hank) Sabean, who passed away in 2018. Sabean had specific wishes for his funeral arrangements, entrusting the funeral home with the process.
Now, Carey expresses skepticism about ever confirming the identity of the remains, as they may have to repeat the burial process without certainty about whose remains they previously interred.
Dean Hildebrand, overseeing the forensic DNA laboratory at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, highlights the difficulty of extracting enough DNA from ashes for identification.
Hildebrand acknowledges that while trace amounts of DNA may exist in ashes, utilizing this DNA for identification presents challenges.
Although DNA is resilient, with labs often obtaining full DNA profiles from severely damaged human remains, the extreme conditions of a crematorium can lead to the complete breakdown of organic matter.
Hildebrand mentions previous experiences identifying remains from ashes mixed up by other funeral homes, noting a significant number of remains in this case, as reported by the new Serenity funeral home owners, East Coast Memorial.
While the odds of successful identification are low, Hildebrand emphasizes the importance of testing, suggesting that a bone fragment could potentially yield valuable DNA.
He believes the effort is worthwhile, although managing expectations is crucial.
Carey mentions being informed that the buried ashes may contain a metal disc with an ID number, potentially aiding in identifying the remains.
However, this ID number might be the only lead to discovering the true identity of the remains interred in 2018.
Provincial authorities and Nova Scotia’s funeral director regulator are conducting investigations.
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