Why DNA testing struggles to identify cremated remains

Several families who used the former Serenity Funeral Home were recently told that the ashes stored by the new owners might not be those of their relatives. The uncertainty led them to consider DNA testing as a possible way to confirm identity, even though they remain skeptical.

Michelle Carey, whose father Hank Sabean was cremated at Serenity in 2018, said she doubts any test will ever prove whose remains were buried. “It would be very, very difficult to do any sort of DNA testing,” she explained, adding that she cannot be sure the ashes are her father’s.

Dean Hildebrand, who manages the forensic DNA laboratory at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, says it is very challenging to obtain enough DNA from ashes to make an identification. He describes cremated remains as “a worst‑case scenario for isolating” DNA.

While DNA can survive many fires – labs often recover full profiles from bodies found in car or building fires – the conditions inside a crematorium are far harsher. Temperatures reach 900 °C for up to three hours, causing a total breakdown of all organic matter.

Because almost all DNA is destroyed, the only practical clue may be a small metal disc sometimes placed in the urn. The disc can carry an identification number that could help match the ashes to the correct person.

The scientific limits mean families should set realistic expectations about DNA testing after cremation. Even a tiny bone fragment might yield a trace of DNA, but the chances of a definitive match are low.

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