In Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, families face uncertainty regarding the ashes of their loved ones, which may not have been properly buried. Despite the potential for DNA testing to identify the remains, experts caution that the process may offer only a slim chance of certainty.
Numerous families who engaged the services of the former Serenity Funeral Home were recently notified by the new owners that the ashes of their deceased relatives were discovered in storage. Michelle Carey, whose father, Hendrik (Hank) Sabean, passed away in 2018, utilized Serenity for his funeral arrangements.
Facing the prospect of re-burial and uncertain about the actual identity of the remains buried earlier, Carey expressed skepticism about the likelihood of definitively confirming the remains’ authenticity through DNA testing. Dean Hildebrand, overseeing the forensic DNA lab at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, highlighted the challenges of extracting sufficient DNA from ashes for identification purposes.
While acknowledging the resilience of DNA in certain scenarios, such as recovering full profiles from fire-damaged remains, Hildebrand explained that crematorium conditions result in the complete breakdown of organic matter. Despite the complexity of the situation involving mixed-up ashes from multiple individuals, he emphasized the importance of testing for potential DNA fragments that could aid in identification.
Carey mentioned the possibility of identifying the remains through a metal disc with an ID number present in the ashes buried in 2018. However, she expressed doubts about the certainty of determining the actual individual interred. Investigations by the provincial authorities and Nova Scotia’s funeral directors’ regulator are ongoing to address the situation.
Considering the intricate nature of identifying remains from ashes and the limited odds of success, experts stress the importance of managing expectations while endeavoring to ascertain the true identities of the buried individuals.
