She took a DNA test for fun. Police used it to charge her grandmother with murder in a cold case

CNN via MSN ^ | December 14, 2024 | Taylor Galgano

[DoodleBob]

It was the middle of Jenna Gerwatowski’s workday at the local flower shop in Newberry, Michigan, when she got a call from an unknown number.

The now 23-year-old doesn’t usually answer unknown calls, but says she decided to pick this one up in May 2022.

To her surprise, it was a detective from the Michigan state police.

“He was like, ‘Have you heard of the Baby Garnet case?’” Jenna told CNN.

Jenna had heard of it. In 1997, a deceased infant was found in a campground pit toilet at the Garnet Lake Campground – right where Jenna grew up. …The case went cold, and the “Baby Garnet” case became a known murder mystery in Jenna’s small town for decades.

“Your DNA was a match,” Jenna says the detective on the phone told her. She was related to the dead infant from 1997.

Jenna was in shock. The detective sounded sure, Jenna said, but she wondered how he had even obtained her DNA.

About six months earlier, her friend had gotten a FamilyTreeDNA test for Christmas and Jenna decided to order her own. DNA from other Baby Garnet relatives led detectives to Jenna’s FamilyTreeDNA kit, according to court documents.

…

An analysis of Jenna’s DNA kit showed she was the half-niece to Baby Garnet, according to court records.

On June 1, 2022, detectives spoke with her mother, Kara, who agreed to provide her DNA. Kara was the half-sister of Baby Garnet, according to court records.

…

Kara, now 42, had not spoken with her mother, Nancy Gerwatowski, since she was 18 because they had a bad relationship, and Jenna had never met her grandmother. Regardless, both were shocked Nancy, who was living in Wyoming when police questioned her, would be the one behind their town mystery.

[DIRTYSECRET]

Wait a minute. How did the cops find out about her DNA?

[rktman]

Uh, just curious, does ancestry.com or 23&me commonly/routinely share ‘DNA’ submissions with LEO? Not that I have anything to hide.

[glorgau]

> How did the cops find out about her DNA?

Probably had a clause for “law enforcement purposes” in the multi-page Terms and Conditions that everybody just clicks through.

[one guy in new jersey]

“Not that I have anything to hide.”

Hmmm...🧐🤨...perhaps you have been overenthusiastic in sharing? Lol

[Blurb2350]

And who thought to look for a dead baby in a pit toilet?

[Go_Raiders]

They share DNA data with other subscribers and genealogy websites. Usually the subscriber is a person looking to discover blood relatives and fill in missing pieces on their family tree. But many Law Enforcement agencies also subscribe, to help solve cold cases.

Sometimes it helps ID a victim and bring peace to families who have had a loved one disappear. Sometimes it solves a crime.

[Telepathic Intruder]

"Not that I have anything to hide".

It doesn't matter. The cops will try to frame you if they can using any evidence they obtain. We need them, but we also don't need a police state.

[Pontiac]

And who thought to look for a dead baby in a pit toilet?

I always look for rats and snakes when I use one. Also a vacuum truck worker emptying one would probably find the body.

[Scrambler Bob]

And who thought to look for a dead baby in a pit toilet?
= = =

How much other DNA might be in there? Any DNA contamnation?

[KarlInOhio]

According to FamilyTreeDNA, they will work with law enforcement to match DNA.

[desertsolitaire]

There are periodic news stories of perps discovered hiding in waist deep sewage below the womens’ toilets, trying to peep at them going to the bathroom. Probably what happened there, and the smelly perp made an anonymous call later about the dead baby he found.

[Flaming Conservative]

Apparently, if we get our DNA tested, it goes into a national database. Also, tests like cologuard test dna, and some doctors are doing dna tests. I know a guy whose pain mgmt doctor checked his dna. (Probably at the behest of the federal government, since they now call the shots on what pain meds can be prescribed).

[KarlInOhio]

The article said they got the DNA from inside the femur.

[Farmerbob]

Kara, now 42, (~born in 1982) would have been 15 YO in 97 when the baby was found. She didn’t notice her mom was pregnant, or was mom not in the picture?

[Blurb2350]

Thanks for the toilet info! I assumed a “pit toilet” was just a deep hole in the ground and, once it reached a particular level, it would be capped and a new hole would be pressed into service. But yes, if it was pumped a baby would definitely clog up the works!

[Pontiac]

I had my doubts about getting my DNA test.

But my older brother and several cousins had already done their’s so it was a moot point. It doesn’t matter at that point, the police already have my DNA.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

—> Uh, just curious, does ancestry.com or 23&me commonly/routinely share ‘DNA’ submissions with LEO? Not that I have anything to hide.

Sure.

And if not already, China will get it to create bioweapons - if our CIA hasn’t already

[Pearls Before Swine]

There are periodic news stories of perps discovered hiding in waist deep sewage below the womens’ toilets, trying to peep at them going to the bathroom.

Now, that's what I call dedication to their cause. /S

[Blurb2350]

We are reminded once again that there’s no accounting for taste . . .