Clinical Fellow Yale University New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Background: Care of pediatric sexual assault (SA) is complex. Forensic samples are often collected to identify a possible perpetrator. However, the frequency of foreign DNA recovery, especially that matching the perpetrator, has not been well described in pediatric SA cases. Objective: Describe victim characteristics and the frequency of recovered foreign DNA in pediatric SA. Design/Methods: Data from clinical and laboratory records included victim demographics, reported contact type, time from assault to collection, SANE involvement, specimen type, and laboratory outcomes (foreign DNA recovery and perpetrator match). Continuous variables were compared using t-tests and categorical variables using chi-square or Fisher's exact tests. Results: The sample included 257 forensic evidence kits processed by the State of Connecticut Forensic Laboratory from December 1, 2020, to December 31, 2024, in SA victims younger than 18 years old. Victim characteristics are in Table 1.
63.5% (162) of victims had foreign DNA recovered; these victims were older than those without recovery of a foreign DNA profile (12.6 years versus 10.53 years; p <.001). However, in only 10.5% (27), the foreign DNA profile matched that of the alleged perpetrator. There was no difference in the mean age for victims in whom the foreign DNA profile matched the perpetrator (13.04 years versus 11.67 years; p=.15).
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) were involved in the care of 20.4% (52) of victims. There was no significant difference in foreign DNA recovery (69.2% vs. 62.1%; p=.48) or a profile matching the perpetrator (11.5% vs. 10.3%; p=.80) when a SANE was involved.
For children younger than 10 years old, 46.4% (32) had foreign DNA recovered, primarily from body swabs and only 1 from sheet/clothing sample. However, only in 12.5% (4) did the foreign DNA match the alleged perpetrator, and all of these victims presented within 24 hours of contact.
Conclusion(s): Most children with SA will have foreign DNA recovered from body samples. However, foreign DNA matching the alleged perpetrator was found in only 10.5% of cases.
In children younger than 10 years old, all patients with DNA recovered matching that of the perpetrator were found within 24 hours of the last contact. Body swabs had a higher yield, as clothing/sheets rarely led to foreign DNA recovery.
The use of SANEs did not affect the likelihood of recovering foreign DNA or recovering DNA that matched the alleged perpetrator.
These findings may help guide decision-making in forensic evidence collection after pediatric SA.
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