DNA Paternity Testing When the Father is Deceased

DNA testing- Paternity testing

cheap paternity testing

Paternity testing is used to determine the biological relationship between a child and an alleged father. It helps to determine whether the father in question is the biological father of the child. Usually DNA testing is used to settle child custody or child support cases or for immigration purposes. It can also be done to give the mother and alleged father peace of mind. Under normal circumstances, cheap paternity testing is pretty easy as all the parties involved have to send buccal swabs to an accredited laboratory, which will then conduct DNA test and determine the child’s paternity. However, if the alleged father is deceased, it can make paternity testing a little difficult, but it is not impossible.

Here are some options that can help determine a child’s paternity in case the father is deceased:

Relationship Testing

If the father is deceased, the situation becomes a little complicated, but you can still prove the child’s paternity. There are DNA testing methods available that can establish the paternity by analyzing the child’s DNA and that of close family members from the father’s side and establishing a relationship. This would involve comparing the child’s DNA to alleged grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousin. Although an indirect method, it can still determine paternity.

Other Alternatives

  • In case the father is recently deceased (up to a week), an accredited laboratory can still get viable sample to do cheap dna testing. In such cases, hair samples or fingernail cuttings are used. The hair should have the root attached to it. It is important that the samples are taken within a week of the demise in order for the laboratory to extract DNA and establish paternity.
  • In case the father has already been interred, there is no need to get upset. You can still opt for paternity testing. This can be done by providing the laboratory with indirect samples. These samples can be taken from the deceased father’s toothbrush, a cup used by the alleged father and not washed after use or even a cigarette butt. This method of paternity testing is complicated, as it is not easy to extract DNA from the samples, but if the laboratory is accredited and possesses the know-how, it will be able to get the required amount of DNA to conduct the test and determine paternity. However, it is important to note that this method of DNA testing does not guarantee success.
  • The last alternative is exhuming the body of the alleged father. This requires a court order and once that is received, the body can be exhumed. Usually soft tissue is taken from the body and DNA is extracted from the tissue and then compared to the child’s DNA profile. However, if there is no soft tissue, bone sample from the femoral or humerus is taken and analyzed. At times, even teeth can be taken. This DNA Paternity test is only conducted in case of an urgent reason when paternity has to be established legally.

Though the best way to determine paternity of your child is to get DNA testing done while the alleged father is still alive but if the father dies, you can still prove paternity using one of the aforementioned methods.

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