Missing girl’s skeletal remains identified nearly 60 years after her death

Missing girl (Picture credit KHON2)

A missing girl’s skeletal remains, found in Hawaii in June 2014, have finally been identified, thanks to advanced DNA testing after a decade. According to a New York Post report, the girl has been identified as Mary Sue Fink, who was born on April 29, 1959, and was between 2 and 6 years old when she died.
Skeletal remains found in 2014
The skeletal remains of Mary Sue Fink, a girl estimated to have been between 2 and 6 years old when she died, were discovered in Hawaii in June 2014, nearly 60 years after her death, as reported by KHON Honolulu.
Fink’s remains received by lab
In August 2024, Othram Labs received Fink’s remains from Honolulu, Hawaii. Scientists built a DNA profile and identified a potential relative, leading to a match. After this relative provided a DNA sample, comparison confirmed the remains belonged to Fink. She was born on April 29, 1959, and would have turned 65 years old today, according to the New York Post report.
“That one piece of the puzzle that was sent in is responsible in part for the resolution and identification of this Jane Doe baby,” said Dr Robert Mann, Professor of Anatomy & Pathology at the University of Hawaii Medical School, as quoted by the New York Post. He added, “What could not be done 50 years ago was being done 30 years ago, and what wasn’t being done 30 years ago is being done now. And so this really shows us that a cold case does not have to remain cold forever.”
Othram’s project 525
This case was solved through Othram’s Project 525, which aims to resolve 525 missing juvenile cases. Othram said its forensic-grade genome sequencing technology, used in Fink’s case, has solved more forensic genetic genealogy cases than any other method.
Death circumstances remain unknown
The circumstances surrounding Fink’s death and the discovery of her remains after six decades remain unclear.
Second identification by Othram’s technology in Hawaii
This is the second case in Hawaii using Othram’s technology to publicly identify remains. The lab noted its technology has helped solve numerous cases nationally and internationally. According to Othram, roughly a quarter of the 24,400 active missing persons cases in the national system are minors.