Lydia Fairchild: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|American woman who exhibits chimerism}} |
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'''Lydia Fairchild''' is an |
'''Lydia Fairchild''' (born 1976) is an American woman who exhibits [[chimera (genetics)|chimerism]], having two distinct populations of DNA among the cells of her body. She was pregnant with her third child when she and the father of her children, Jamie Townsend, separated. When Fairchild applied for enforcement of child support in 2002, providing [[DNA profiling|DNA evidence]] of Townsend's paternity was a routine requirement. While the results showed Townsend to certainly be their father, they seemed to rule out her being their mother. |
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Fairchild stood accused of fraud by either claiming benefits for other people's children, or taking part in a [[surrogacy]] scam, and records of her prior births were put similarly in doubt. Prosecutors called for her two children to be taken away from her, believing them not to be hers. As time came for her to give birth to her third child, the judge ordered that an observer be present at the birth, ensure that blood samples were immediately taken from both the child and Fairchild, and be available to testify. Two weeks later, DNA tests seemed to indicate that she was also not the mother of that child. |
Fairchild stood accused of fraud by either claiming benefits for other people's children, or taking part in a [[surrogacy]] scam, and records of her prior births were put similarly in doubt. Prosecutors called for her two children to be taken away from her, believing them not to be hers. As time came for her to give birth to her third child, the judge ordered that an observer be present at the birth, ensure that blood samples were immediately taken from both the child and Fairchild, and be available to testify. Two weeks later, DNA tests seemed to indicate that she was also not the mother of that child. |
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A breakthrough came when her defense attorney<ref>https://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/shes-twin/story?id=2315693</ref> |
A breakthrough came when her defense attorney,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/shes-twin/story?id=2315693|date=2006-08-15|title=She's Her Own Twin|website=ABC News}}</ref> Alan Tindell, learned of [[Karen Keegan]], a [[Chimera (genetics)|chimeric]] woman in Boston, and suggested a similar possibility for Fairchild and then introduced an article in the ''[[The New England Journal of Medicine|New England Journal of Medicine]]'' about Keegan.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1056/NEJMoa013452|last=Yu|first=Neng|date=16 May 2002|title=Disputed Maternity Leading to Identification of Tetragametic Chimerism|journal=New England Journal of Medicine|volume=346|issue=20|pages=1545–1552|pmid=12015394|display-authors=etal|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Rowlands|first=Letitia|title=When your unborn twin is your children's mother|url=http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/life-style/nutrition-and-wellbeing/when-your-unborn-twin-is-your-childrens-mother-20140203-31woi.html|website=Essential Baby|accessdate=26 February 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301211020/http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/life-style/nutrition-and-wellbeing/when-your-unborn-twin-is-your-childrens-mother-20140203-31woi.html|archivedate=1 March 2014}}</ref> He realized that Fairchild's case might also be caused by [[chimera (genetics)|chimerism]]. As in Keegan's case, DNA samples were taken from members of the extended family. The DNA of Fairchild's children matched that of Fairchild's mother to the extent expected of a grandmother. They also found that, although the DNA in Fairchild's skin and hair did not match her children's, the DNA from a [[Pap test|cervical smear]] test did match. Fairchild was carrying two different sets of DNA, the defining characteristic of chimerism. |
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== Other examples of chimerism == |
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* [[Taylor Muhl]] |
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* [[Karen Keegan]] |
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* [[Foekje Dillema]] |
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== See also == |
== See also == |
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* ''[[Mater semper certa est]]'' |
* ''[[Mater semper certa est]]'' |
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== |
==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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== |
==Further reading== |
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* [https://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/shes-twin/story?id=2315693 ABC News: She's Her Own Twin] Article on Fairchild |
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140610123634/http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/shes-twin/story?id=2315693&singlePage=true ABC News: She's Her Own Twin] Article on Fairchild |
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* [ |
* [https://ace.mu.nu/archives/118606.php Kids' DNA Tested, Parent Informed The DNA Is Not A Match] Article on Fairchild's case |
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* [http://www.katewerk.com/chimera.html The Stranger Within] New Scientist Article on Karen Keegan's case |
* [http://www.katewerk.com/chimera.html The Stranger Within] New Scientist Article on Karen Keegan's case |
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060208063828/http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/M/Mosaics.html#TetragameticHuman Genetic Mosaics] Discussion on Tetragametic Humans |
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060208063828/http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/M/Mosaics.html#TetragameticHuman Genetic Mosaics] Discussion on Tetragametic Humans |
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* [https://www.npr.org/ |
* [https://www.npr.org/2003/08/11/1392149/dna-tests-shed-light-on-hybrid-humans DNA Tests Shed Light on 'Hybrid Humans'] NPR recording |
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* {{cite news |first=Eleanor|url-access=subscription |last=Mayne|via=Questia Online Library|url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-142892362|title=The mother with three children who don't share her DNA - and why her astonishing story will throw doubt on the 'foolproof' evidence in thousands of court cases |date=March 5, 2006 |publisher=The Mail on Sunday|location=London}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Fairchild, Lydia}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fairchild, Lydia}} |
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[[Category:Applied genetics]] |
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[[Category:Identity documents]] |
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[[Category:Science and law]] |
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[[Category:Biometrics]] |
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[[Category:20th-century American women]] |
[[Category:20th-century American women]] |
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[[Category:21st-century American women]] |
[[Category:21st-century American women]] |
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[[Category:Chimerism]] |
[[Category:Chimerism]] |
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[[Category:20th-century American people]] |
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Latest revision as of 10:29, 15 August 2024
Lydia Fairchild (born 1976) is an American woman who exhibits chimerism, having two distinct populations of DNA among the cells of her body. She was pregnant with her third child when she and the father of her children, Jamie Townsend, separated. When Fairchild applied for enforcement of child support in 2002, providing DNA evidence of Townsend's paternity was a routine requirement. While the results showed Townsend to certainly be their father, they seemed to rule out her being their mother.
Fairchild stood accused of fraud by either claiming benefits for other people's children, or taking part in a surrogacy scam, and records of her prior births were put similarly in doubt. Prosecutors called for her two children to be taken away from her, believing them not to be hers. As time came for her to give birth to her third child, the judge ordered that an observer be present at the birth, ensure that blood samples were immediately taken from both the child and Fairchild, and be available to testify. Two weeks later, DNA tests seemed to indicate that she was also not the mother of that child.
A breakthrough came when her defense attorney,[1] Alan Tindell, learned of Karen Keegan, a chimeric woman in Boston, and suggested a similar possibility for Fairchild and then introduced an article in the New England Journal of Medicine about Keegan.[2][3] He realized that Fairchild's case might also be caused by chimerism. As in Keegan's case, DNA samples were taken from members of the extended family. The DNA of Fairchild's children matched that of Fairchild's mother to the extent expected of a grandmother. They also found that, although the DNA in Fairchild's skin and hair did not match her children's, the DNA from a cervical smear test did match. Fairchild was carrying two different sets of DNA, the defining characteristic of chimerism.
Other examples of chimerism
[edit]See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "She's Her Own Twin". ABC News. August 15, 2006.
- ^ Yu, Neng; et al. (May 16, 2002). "Disputed Maternity Leading to Identification of Tetragametic Chimerism". New England Journal of Medicine. 346 (20): 1545–1552. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa013452. PMID 12015394.
- ^ Rowlands, Letitia. "When your unborn twin is your children's mother". Essential Baby. Archived from the original on March 1, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
Further reading
[edit]- ABC News: She's Her Own Twin Article on Fairchild
- Kids' DNA Tested, Parent Informed The DNA Is Not A Match Article on Fairchild's case
- The Stranger Within New Scientist Article on Karen Keegan's case
- Genetic Mosaics Discussion on Tetragametic Humans
- DNA Tests Shed Light on 'Hybrid Humans' NPR recording
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