Former liaison in crematory probe says families misled

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> <br> That&#39;s according to a former advocate for families with ties to the North Georgia facility. <br> <br> 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> <br> Crawford says Georgia authorities discouraged some people whose relatives died before 1997 from giving DNA samples. <br> <br> But at a news conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee Monday, Georgia&#39;s chief medical examiner, Doctor Kris Sperry, rebutted the claims. <br> <br> Sperry says DNA testers have refused no offers of blood samples, unless the person offering is not a close relative of the deceased. <br> <br> Noble is located just south of Chattanooga.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/7/192216