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US cops used newborn’s stored DNA to nab father in a 1996 crime

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In a worrisome trend, a lawsuit filed by the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender (OPD) has claimed that the police used blood samples from new-born babies to fund DNA samples and probe crimes committed more than 25 years ago.

The OPD officials learned that the State Police has successfully subpoenaed a newborn blood sample who is now approximately nine years old.

“The reason the State Police subpoenaed the sample was so that it could perform a DNA analysis on the sample and tie the child’s father, who became OPD’s client, to a crime that was committed in 1996,” the lawsuit read.

By serving a subpoena upon the Newborn Screening Laboratory, the State Police allegedly sidestepped its constitutional obligation to develop probable cause and obtain a warrant “so that it could obtain a buccal swab from OPD’s client to perform an analysis of his DNA”.

The suspect then became a client of the OPD, which alerted the office to the techniques used to identify the man.

Every baby born in New Jersey is required by law to be tested for 60 disorders within 48 hours of birth.

Through a simple needle prick to the heel, hospitals, medical facilities, and health care providers collect blood from newborns.

Those blood spot samples are later tested by the Newborn Screening Laboratory, which operated by defendants New Jersey Department of Health, Public Health and Environmental Laboratories.

“These blood spot samples are taken without informed consent by the newborn’s parents or guardians, and, upon information and belief, the samples are stored by Defendants for more than 20 years,” the lawsuit alleged.

In early 2022, OPD learned that at least one law enforcement agency has obtained newborn blood spot samples from the Newborn Screening Laboratory to perform a DNA analysis on the sample as part of a criminal investigation.

The State Police had re-opened an investigation into a “cold case” of sexual assault that had occurred in 1996 and had genetically narrowed the suspects to one of three brothers and their male offspring.

“Because there was not probable cause to obtain search warrants for buccal swabs from those suspects, the State Police instead served a subpoena upon the Newborn Screening Laboratory in or about August 2021 to obtain residual dried blood spot samples that had been collected from a male newborn in or about June 2012,” read the lawsuit.

To ascertain which family member was the suspect, the State Police sought the blood spot sample that was taken from an approximately nine-year-old child when he was a newborn to compare it to the DNA it had collected at the crime scene in 1996.

The lawsuit, filed jointly by the OPD and the non-profit organisation New Jersey Monitor, now seeks to force the state of New Jersey to disclose information on the full extent of the practice.

Maharashtra

Action under the ‘Pedestrian First’ initiative by the ‘G-North’ ward of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation

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To ensure the unobstructed movement of pedestrians on footpaths, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is implementing an initiative called ‘Pedestrian First’. In this regard, an enforcement drive was carried out today (October 23, 2026) in Dadar, near the ‘Late Maa Saheb Meenatai Thackeray Flower Market’ and along ‘Senapati Bapat Marg’. During this operation, 12 unauthorized structures—including temporary tarpaulin sheds and illegal platforms—were removed, and 60 hawkers obstructing the footpaths were cleared from the area. This operation was conducted by the BMC’s ‘G-North’ Ward.
Under the guidance of Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, the BMC is effectively implementing the ‘Pedestrian First’ initiative. The objective of this initiative is to clear footpaths of unauthorized hawkers and encroachments, ensuring they remain free from any obstructions.

In this context, the aforementioned action was carried out under the guidance of Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Zone-2) Prashant Sapkale and the leadership of Assistant Commissioner (G-North Ward) Yogesh Desai. Under this initiative, 12 unauthorized structures—including temporary sheds and illegal platforms—were removed in Dadar, near the ‘Late Maa Saheb Meena Tai Thackeray Flower Market’ and along ‘Senapati Bapat Marg’. Additionally, 60 street vendors who were obstructing the footpaths were cleared from the area. Adequate police personnel were deployed on-site during the operation.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation is taking measures to ensure that footpaths remain open and accessible to pedestrians. Consequently, the Municipal Corporation administration has issued directives prohibiting any unauthorized construction on footpaths, as well as the placement of any items that might obstruct the path for pedestrians. Strict action will be taken against any such violations.

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Maharashtra

FDA action against ‘Delhi Zaika’ in Kurla: License suspended

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The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) conducted a raid in Kurla, Mumbai, and suspended the license of ‘Desired Food and Hospitality’ (Delhi Zaiqa), imposing a complete ban on the sale of food items and prepared dishes at the establishment. Any violation of this order will result in further action by the FDA in accordance with the Food Safety Act.

During the inspection, the FDA observed several issues: the paint or plaster on the walls, ceilings, and doors was peeling; refrigeration and freezing facilities were inadequate; doors were not properly secured against pests; and utensils and containers were not in a condition to be cleaned effectively. The flooring had cracks, lacked proper slip resistance, and had an incorrect slope. Furthermore, food items were not stored at appropriate temperatures, and the establishment failed to follow FIFO (First-In, First-Out) or FEFO (First-Expired, First-Out) inventory management practices.

Additionally, the cooking oil used was unsuitable and unmonitored. There was no segregation between raw and cooked food, or between vegetarian and non-vegetarian items. Utensils were unclean, and the food did not meet hygiene standards. Records regarding suppliers and product expiry dates were unavailable. There was poor management of food quality, alongside unsanitary conditions in the kitchen and surrounding areas, including a lack of cleaning for floors and drains. Based on these findings, the FDA has suspended the establishment’s license for violating established rules and regulations.

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Maharashtra

Four more arrested in Tiger Shroff firing case; two women accused of supplying weapons, accused remanded to police custody till October 26.

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The Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested four additional suspects—two women and two men—in connection with the firing incident involving Tiger Shroff. The arrested individuals include two women, Beeta and Radha, as well as two men, Kunal and Vijender. All four were presented before the Killa Court today, amid tight security arrangements. The police requested police custody (remand) for the suspects to facilitate further interrogation; the court granted this request and ordered that they be held in police custody until October 26. The two women are accused of supplying weapons to the shooters and assisting the other suspects. The police sought this remand to conduct further investigations, including determining whether the suspects have any links to the Bishnoi gang. So far, a total of 10 suspects have been arrested in this case. Previously, the police had arrested the shooters—Phool Singh, Rehan, and Ritik (alias Roshan)—who carried out the firing; they were apprehended by the Kota Police while traveling by train from Mumbai toward Delhi, acting on information provided by the Mumbai Police. Additionally, the Delhi Special Cell arrested six other suspects from Haryana and Delhi, including women and individuals involved in supplying weapons. The police are continuing their investigation into the matter.

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