Columbia police partner with private lab to help solve 2019 Baby Doe Case

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Police Department is taking a different approach to helping solve a 2019 investigation into the remains of an infant found at Mcknight Tire, 1900 block of North Providence Rd.

Columbia Police Department is partnering with Othram, a private lab known for forensic genealogy testing.

→ Police seek public’s help in north Columbia infant death investigation

The investigation began Aug. 15, 2019 when employees of Mcknight Tire found a small backpack inside a tire that contained the decomposed remains of an infant, known as Baby Doe. Since then, there have been little to no leads in this investigation.

"Traditional methods used by detectives to identify have been unsuccessful in this case, including submission of evidence to state labs," said Lt. Matt Stephens. "By using forensic genealogy testing, we believe the services provided by Othram to be a viable option in identifying the remains of the infant."

→ Infant’s autopsy leaves unanswered questions, police say

Othram is a private DNA laboratory built specifically to apply the power of modern parallel sequencing to forensic evidence.

Officials say the technology used by the lab could potentially help identify Baby Doe and bring closure to a year-long investigation.