SEATTLE, WA – The last of a backlog of over 10,000 Washington sexual assault kits has been sent to labs for testing.

Clearing the backlog has helped solve at least 21 sexual assault cases with expectations for that number to grow.

The elimination of the rape kit backlog is a milestone for Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative.

The solved cases from the testing of the kits were committed against victims as young as three years old and occurred between 2002 and 2015.

Adding the DNA from the kits to the National DNA database called CODIS can help solve crimes and bring closure to victims.

The Initiative from the Attorney General has worked to change how rape kits are handled and prevent future backlogs.