“We Never Knew We Are Cousins” –  Married Couple Revealed After Having Three Children

A Colorado couple who married after a four-month courtship and went on to have three children together say they were left shocked after a 23andMe DNA test revealed they are cousins.

Celina and Joseph Quinones told the Love Don’t Judge podcast that they decided to take the DNA test after Celina grew curious about their children’s varied skin tones and hair textures.

Celina and Joseph Quinones

“I started really diving into my DNA because I wanted to find out my heritage. My daughter is really dark-skinned, my son has curly hair, and my middle child is light-skinned. Everyone would ask, ‘What are you?’ I couldn’t really give an answer except Native American,” Celina said.

The couple said the DNA results confirmed a familial connection they never suspected. “When I realised that we were cousins I was a little sick to my stomach. I was thinking, ‘Should we get a divorce? Are we even supposed to be together?’” Celina added.

After sharing her experience in a TikTok video, Celina said the post received millions of views and a wave of criticism. “One person on there said, ‘This is so disturbing, why would you marry your cousin?’ I did not know it was going to blow up that big.”

According to the couple, none of their relatives were aware of the connection at the time of their wedding. They later learned that Joe’s father’s grandmother had been adopted, which they believe led to the gap in family records.

“Colorado seems so big, but it’s really not that big. Everyone knows everyone, and most likely, everyone is related,” Celina said.

In response to their experience, the couple said they have launched a dating app called Before We Be. The platform is designed to help prospective partners check for close familial links before pursuing a relationship.

The couple did not disclose the degree of their cousin relationship. They remain married and are raising their three children together.