..the M.E. couldn't list the
exact cause of death-------b/c of what she was "left to work with" by the time the remains had been found-----after the tissues/organs were long gone ( suffocation? drugs?? drowning?? etc.--so much for those tests!) animals had gnawed on the bones and scattered them around...
..fortunately, the duct tape was a poly/cotten blend, even though the cotten had deteriorated, and the tape was in less than stellar condition ( chewed up )-----the poly stood up to the weather/swamp conditions......still sticking to the hair, still evident that IT was what kept the mandible ( that should have fallen OFF/AWAY from the skull once the tissue was no longer there to keep it in place)..
..now why on earth would the body of a small child be in garbage bags in a swamp ----with 3 strips of heavy duty duct tape on the face and stuck to the child's hair ???
..dr.G. explained
in great detail @ trial ALL of the factors an M.E. uses in determining c.o.d. etc.--------arriving at her conclusion:
http://www.wesh.com/download/2009/0619/19802034.pdf
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AUTOPSY report-----PAGE 1-----
C.O.D.
homicide by undetermined means.
..an accidental drowning----is not a homicide.