DNA test results causing worry

I had my DNA tested, as have some of my second cousins, and in one case the results are disturbing.

One cousin’s paternal grandfather and my maternal grandmother were siblings, but our percentdna match is above the feasible range for second cousins and centered on the range for first cousins once removed.

My matches with six other cousins with the same great-grandparents (they had nine kids) are smack in the middle of the normal range.

Long story short (having researched DNA results interpretation for other reasons), this cousin’s supposed grandfather is probably actually his biological father. Looking at his online family tree, my cousin was born in 1945, his father served overseas in the navy during WWII, and his grandfather lived in the same town as his mother.

Am I right in not bringing this up nor discussing it with him or anyone else?

It doesn’t really affect his or his kids’ genetic health history.

All the actors in this drama are long dead.

I have no idea whether my cousin has figured this out, but I think this is truly a situation to let sleeping dogs lie.

— Know Too Much

DEAR KNOW TOO MUCH >>

I’m with you.

We’ll see how readers respond to this DNA dilemma.

DEAR AMY >>

Thank you for your response to “Harassed Mom,” who was sexually harassed as a teen by her parents’ friend, “Roger.”

I appreciated that you advised this mother to be extremely frank about this with her own teen daughter, and to also confront Roger.

I endured this silently when I was a teen, much to my regret.

— Been There

DEAR BEEN THERE >>

It’s important that we as a society continue to encourage our children to report these violations, although the reasons for remaining silent are often complex.