Former liaison in crematory probe says families misled
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Posted 7:22PM on Monday, July 22, 2002
CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE - Georgia investigators wrongly refused offers of DNA samples from people trying to find out if deceased relatives are among the remains discovered at the Tri-State Crematory. <br>
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That's according to a former advocate for families with ties to the North Georgia facility. <br>
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Teri Crawford, a nurse practitioner from Soddy-Daisy, says her disagreement over the identification process prompted her to resign last week. She had been a DNA coordinator-family advocate in the continuing investigation. <br>
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Crawford says Georgia authorities discouraged some people whose relatives died before 1997 from giving DNA samples. <br>
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But at a news conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee Monday, Georgia's chief medical examiner, Doctor Kris Sperry, rebutted the claims. <br>
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Sperry says DNA testers have refused no offers of blood samples, unless the person offering is not a close relative of the deceased. <br>
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Noble is located just south of Chattanooga.