For identification of a missing person in a mass fatality incident, which antemortem specimen provides the MOST reliable reference material for direct comparison with postmortem STR profiles?

• A A sibling's buccal swab
• B The victim's stored baby tooth or extracted tooth kept by the family ✓
• C A parent's archived surgical biopsy block
• D The spouse's blood sample

Explanation

A direct reference sample from the victim's own body, such as a preserved deciduous tooth, extracted tooth, or old biopsy, carries the victim's exact genotype, so identity follows from a straightforward match. Kinship samples from relatives require statistical reconstruction and give weaker conclusions, especially with distant relatives like a spouse. Parental or sibling references remain valuable fallback options when no direct sample exists.

Reference: Butler, Forensic DNA Typing, 2nd ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.