Familial Searching

Familial searching is a technique used in law enforcement to identify potential relatives of a person whose DNA is found at a crime scene. When a DNA sample is analyzed and does not match any known suspects, it can be compared to existing DNA databases to find partial matches. These matches may indicate close relatives, like siblings or parents. By examining family connections, investigators can uncover leads or identify possible suspects related to the original DNA sample, enhancing the chances of solving a case without having a direct match to a known individual.