A DNA test that police thought would confirm an American Fork woman's claim that she was not the mother of the baby boy she buried 23 years ago has instead stumped investigators.

The test says that Janet Johnson now could be the mother of the boy -- William Edward Colton -- even though an earlier test concluded that couldn't be the case.A Murray police investigation that started last June had linked the baby's remains to Cheryl Johnson of Salt Lake. Both women, who are not related, gave birth at Cottonwood Hospital on April 20, 1975. Janet Johnson reportedly had a stillborn boy. Cheryl Johnson had a girl, Sharmaine, and it was concluded the baby boy was actually her twin.

Now, no one is quite sure what to think.

"We anticipated the same results, but what we have is a 180 degree difference in the results from two labs,' Murray police assistant chief Pete Fondaco said. "We really haven't solved the mystery."

Fondaco said a third round of tests from a third laboratory has been ordered in hopes of corroborating at least one set of the existing test results. Each of the previous tests was conducted at different laboratories.

The third set of test results won't likely be available for at least a month, Fondaco said, admitting to both surprise and confusion over this latest development in a case he called "bizarre."

"We all thought DNA was 100 percent reliable, but now we're going, holy cow, maybe not," said Murray detective Alex Huggard.

Janet Johnson came to Huggard last June with the results of a DNA test she ordered independently after having doubts that the baby she had buried was really her own. She is now suing Cottonwood Hospital.

Huggard took Janet Johnson's test results and compared them with the DNA of mothers who also had babies at Cottonwood during the week Janet Johnson gave birth. The only DNA match was found with Cheryl and Sharmaine Johnson, leading Huggard and others to the conclusion that Cheryl, who thought she had delivered one baby, had actually had twins.

DNA testing is generally considered highly reliable; however, it is not unlikely that two different labs following the same procedures could reach separate conclusions. Any number of variables, such as how samples were collected or processed, or what type of control sample a lab has might effect the results.

Factor in the condition of 23-year-old fetal remains and the probability for problems increases, Fondaco said.

"It complicates it. I don't know if it effects the reliability of DNA, but it brings some doubts to mind," he said.

Cottonwood Hospital officials, who have maintained throughout the investigation that nothing unusual or mysterious happened to Janet Johnson's stillborn child, said they were pleased to learn the second test genetically linked her to the baby.

"The second set of tests were performed in their entirety under police supervision, with samples collected by forensic methodology," said Dr. Greg Schwitzer, medical spokesman for Cottonwood. "There's a significant difference between that and the first test, which (Janet Johnson) conducted on her own. Forensically, they are much more reliable."

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From the hospital's perspective, the mystery is more or less solved, although Schwitzer said the hospital will continue to cooperate with Murray police until the investigation is closed.

For Janet Johnson, Cheryl Johnson and Sharmaine Johnson, however, there are still questions that need answers and an an emotional roller coaster to ride -- at least until the next round of test results appear.

Eric Barton, an attorney for Cheryl and Sharmaine Johnson, summed up the situation best:

"It's exasperating."

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