Naming the Dead, a 2025 National Geographic docu-series, follows the DNA Doe Project, which uses forensic genealogy to identify unidentified bodies (John and Jane Does) and solve cold cases. The investigations often involve finding distant relatives or siblings to confirm identities and identify unknown, long-unnamed individuals, bringing closure to families.
Season 1, Episode 3: The Body in the Sand, Apache Junction Jane Doe: Thirty-two years ago, a young, unidentified female was found dead in the desert. Now, local police are joining forces with the DNA Doe Project to bring her home. In this heartwrenching, bittersweet episode, two German-born brothers, who are post-World War II US occupation survivors and US adoptees known as German “Brown babies” and unaware of each other’s existence, are united when the DNA Doe Project team searches for the victim’s identity.
Naming the Dead, a 2025 National Geographic documentary, is a six-part series available on Hulu and Disney+ that highlights the team’s work on cold cases, particularly those involving people of color.
Additional information about German “Brown Babies” can be found on this site.