Nags Head Police Department Teams with Othram to Identify a Baby Boy Found in 1991

After 30 years, the body of a baby boy found in South Nags Head has been identified
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Published October 25 by Michael Vogen
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Summary

In April 1991, Nags Head Police officers were dispatched to the 8600 block of East Tides Drive in south Nags Head in reference to human remains found in a trash can rack. Upon arrival, officers found the body of an infant who appeared to have been deceased for some time. At the scene, they were unable to establish Baby Doe’s gender due to advanced decomposition. According to the Pitt County Medical Examiner’s Office in Greenville, NC, the child died by blunt force trauma to the face and asphyxiation. The case was entered into NamUs as UP14018.

Over the years, Nags Head’s police investigators have examined and re-examined evidence in the case, working to understand the circumstances of the baby's death. In keeping with the ongoing commitment to unsolved cases, officers began a new investigation. Investigators contracted Othram in hopes that new genetic testing methods would generate leads to help identify the baby. A rib bone was sent to Othram and Othram's forensic scientists applied proprietary enrichment methods and Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing® to produce a genetic profile suitable for genealogical research. This profile was used in a genealogical search by the Othram genealogy team to produce new investigative leads that were turned over to investigators. Further investigation and DNA analysis by Nags Head Police led to a married couple living in Taylorsville, North Carolina. They were subsequently confirmed as the parents of the baby.

In October 2021, Nags Head's police investigators arrested two individuals in connection with this case. Scott Gordon Poole, and his wife, Robin Lynn Byrum, both of Taylorsville, North Carolina. An investigation into the circumstances of the baby's death continues.

Help fund another case Your contributions pay for lab supplies and research tools

Michael Vogen

Michael Vogen

Director of Case Management

2829 Technology Forest Blvd Suite 100, The Woodlands, Texas 77381
media@othram.com

Michael works with law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and Canada on “unsolvable“ cases that can benefit from advanced DNA testing methods. He helps these agencies use cutting edge DNA sequencing and new forensic techniques to develop investigative leads for their cases.

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About Othram Inc.

Othram is the world’s first private DNA laboratory built specifically to apply the power of modern parallel sequencing to forensic evidence. Othram’s scientists are experts at ... Read morerecovery, enrichment, and analysis of human DNA from trace quantities of degraded or contaminated materials. Founded in 2018, and located in The Woodlands, Texas, our team works with academic researchers, forensic scientists, medical examiners, and law enforcement agencies to achieve results when other approaches have failed. Follow Othram on Twitter @OthramTech or visit Othram.com to learn how we can help you with your case. With dnasolves.com anyone can make a difference and help solve the next cold case.