Can a paternity or maternity test be performed if the alleged father or mother is missing or deceased?
Several testing options are available in situations where the alleged father is missing or deceased: The first option that should be considered is viability testing on a sample taken from the deceased, such as stored blood or a tissue sample. (This type of sample usually comes from a coroner’s or medical examiner’s office.) If usable DNA is found in the sample, we can conduct a paternity / maternity test using it as the alleged father’s/mother’s sample. If no biological samples from the alleged father or mother are available, then seeking an alternative DNA sample (such as a used kleenex, hairs with the roots attached, finger/toe nails, tampon, etc.) is another possibility. Please take a look at our Alternative / Non-Standard DNA Samples Page to learn more. If obtaining a sample of any kind that originated from the father or mother proves difficult, then the a grandparentage testing is the next option to consider. Both biological parents of the alleged father or mother are required to
