Advanced Genetic Genealogy and Unknown Parentage Cases
The Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy (CAFG)
recently held it's 4th annual Forensic Genealogy Institute (FGI) in
Dallas, Texas. I was fortunate to attend the course, Advanced Genetic Genealogy
and Unknown Parentage Cases, taught by two leaders in genetic genealogy, CeCe
Moore and Angie Bush.
As this was an advanced course, students were assumed to
have basic, working, knowledge of DNA inheritance patterns, results from a DNA
test, and familiarity with the DNA testing companies used in genetic genealogy.
Yet this course emphasized, not DNA, but the forensic genealogy skill of
researching family trees forward to locate living descendants - also known as
reverse genealogy. In genetic genealogy, this skill is imperative to help
adoptees, foundlings, and those with unknown parentage, find their biological
kin.
Course coordinator and instructor CeCe Moore lectured
passionately over the 2 ½ days of class, from the general history of adoption
practices and laws in the U.S.A., to the personal stories of adoptees,
foundlings, and others searching for their biological identities. I was
surprised to learn that prior to World War II, adoption records were generally
not sealed against adoptees searching for birth parents. I was also dismayed
how often a criminal element was part of individual stories, be it black market
adoptions, or unethical doctors in donor conception cases. Questions and
comments were welcome, and frank discussions highlighted the unique perils and
pitfalls involved in working unknown parentage cases.
Instructor Angie Bush was dynamic in teaching methodology.
Students learned to develop testing plans for different situations, and how to
narrow down potential kinship relationships by analyzing DNA results. Many
practice scenarios allowed students to apply their knowledge and skills. Ms.
Bush was clear the goal of DNA analysis was to identify which family trees to
build to find the answer sought. The DNA pointed the way, but the trees solved
the cases. Ms. Bush also introduced us to some pretty nifty family tree
websites that were new and exciting to most, if not all, in the class. Attend a
live or virtual Angie Bush lecture to learn more about them!
Forensic genealogy skills were displayed in a deeply
effective lecture by CAFG member, Bethany Waterbury. Ms. Waterbury used herself
as a case study to emphasize not only how to find online information about the
living, but also to show how drastically the information gleaned from various
sites can differ. It was an eye-opening and valuable lecture.
This course is an asset to the Forensic Genealogy
Institute's curriculum, and to my own genetic, and forensic, genealogy
education. The instructors had more than DNA and reverse genealogy to teach us.
It was clearly important to Ms. Moore that we understood the emotional roller
coaster that is an unknown parentage case, and the sensitivity, patience, and
professional integrity needed to work these cases. While Ms. Bush continually
emphasized that although these cases start with a DNA test, they are only
solved by building multiple family trees and working them in every direction.
Surprisingly, for a genetic genealogy course, DNA was not the star of the show.
The spotlight was kept, unwaveringly, on the individual with unknown parentage,
who needs our help.
Vicki Wright
Vicki Wright is a professional genealogist, originally from
St. Paul, Minnesota. She is a member of the Association of Professional
Genealogists, completed the online Boston University Genealogical Research
Certificate program in 2010, is an alumna of the ProGen 11 study group, the
National Institute on Genealogical Research (2011), the Institute of Genealogy
and Historical Research (2011-2013), the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy
(2012, 2014), the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (2012-2014),
and the Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy's Forensic Genealogy
Institute (2012, 2015). She recently moved to the New York/New
Jersey/Pennsylvania border area, so is trying to learn about her new area's
genealogical resources and peculiarities, while keeping up with genetic
genealogy advances, and working on her BCG portfolio.
