A TikTok user has uncovered how her decision to take an Ancestry DNA test may have cracked open the notorious Baby Garnet murder case, leading to her grandmother's arrest.
Jenna Rose Gerwatowski, 23, shared her story on the platform, where it quickly went viral, racking up over 1.3 million views since it was posted recently. Initially, Jenna took the DNA test out of sheer curiosity, saying it seemed like "dope".
Little did she know, the results would turn her life upside down. A year later, Jenna received an alarming call from the Michigan State Police, which had reopened the cold case dating back to 1997. The detective on the line dropped the bombshell—her DNA matched the victim of this unresolved case.
“I was like, ‘Excuse me? What the f–k did I do?’” Jenna recalled, her voice echoing her shock. It turned out the case was about Baby Garnet, the tragic story of a newborn found dead at the Garnet Lake Campground. Just when Jenna thought the situation couldn't get weirder, she learned more disturbing details.
Upon confirming the DNA results, law enforcement determined Jenna's mother was directly related to the infant. This, as Jenna pointed out, meant the case had to connect back to her maternal grandmother, Nancy Gerwatowski, 61, whom she had never met.
“I was mind blown,” Jenna confessed. “She is literally the f–king person they’ve been looking for for 25 years — and it’s all because of a f–king Ancestry DNA kit.”
The grim narrative surrounding Baby Garnet began in 1997. The infant, described as "term or near-term," was found abandoned in an outhouse of the campground near Naubinway, Michigan. The discovery shocked the local community and left law enforcement puzzled for decades.
Last year, Nancy Gerwatowski was arrested and charged with murder, involuntary manslaughter, and concealing the death of her child. Reports indicate she confessed to being Baby Garnet’s mother, explaining how the baby died of asphyxiation shortly after being born at home. Nancy allegedly left the body behind, with prosecutors asserting the baby could have survived had she sought medical help.
Jenna has become increasingly aware of her family's history, especially as the cold case gained attention. "This was a big deal in the town I grew up in because it was so f—ked up,” she said, reflecting on the local folklore surrounding the chilling events.
After her arrest, Nancy was released on bond, subject to GPS monitoring and restricted to home confinement. If found guilty, she faces the possibility of life behind bars, and her trial is the talk of many who are familiar with this case.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has spoken out about the case, emphasizing the importance of modern technology, particularly DNA testing, to solve cold cases. "This is a testimony to the persistence of law enforcement and the power of science," Nessel stated during a press conference. "We are finally able to pursue justice for Baby Garnet, thanks to the tireless work of investigators and the technological progress made possible this close to 27 years later."
While the case continues to make headlines, it's evident the intersection of technology and personal ancestry has led to shocking revelations and emotional fallout for Jenna, who has lived through this sudden upheaval of her family history.
“It’s crazy how something like this can come from taking a simple DNA test,” Jenna remarked, as she processes her grandmother's complex and tragic reality. The call she received from law enforcement may have implicated her family, but it also sheds light on how advancements in genetic testing can aid the pursuit of justice, even decades after the initial crimes.
The tactile connection of family history through DNA isn't just stirring individual lives—it has repercussions on long-forgotten cases, often giving victims the voice they've been denied over the years. If nothing else, the Baby Garnet case serves as a sobering reminder of the stories buried within our bloodlines, waiting to be unearthed.
Jenna Rose Gerwatowski's tale is part of the larger fabric of cold cases being untangled and explored thanks to genetics, each twist and turn offering the potential for closure, accountability, and perhaps even healing for those left behind.
