Remains of Tillicum girl don't reveal how she died

After more than seven weeks of study, the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office is unable to determine how 10-year-old Adre'anna Jackson died.

The death certificate for the Tillicum girl, whose body was found April 4, four months after she disappeared, will read: "Skeletal remains: Insufficient information to determine cause of death." The manner of her death, whether accidental, natural or homicide, also was undetermined.

That will make solving her disappearance more difficult.

"It is significant, but it doesn't change what we're doing," said Lakewood police Detective Mike Zaro. "With so few remains left, we knew that it would be a long shot for him [the medical examiner] to provide us with anything."

The ruling also makes it more difficult to prosecute the case if an arrest is made.

"It's going to be a hindrance," said Jerry Costello, chief criminal deputy prosecutor. "It would all depend on whether you have enough circumstantial evidence to convince a jury that a homicide happened."

Adre'anna was last seen on the morning of Dec. 2, when her parents said they sent her off on a five-minute walk to see whether her school, Tillicum Elementary, was closed because of snow.

In making the cause-of-death ruling, Dr. John Howard, the medical examiner, reviewed a report from a forensic anthropologist, which he had received earlier in the week. The report was not made public.

State and federal forensics experts continue to analyze hundreds of items taken from the girl's home near Portland Avenue and Wadsworth Street Southwest and the vacant lot where she was found.

Dozens of technicians spent 10 days on their hands and knees, collecting evidence from the lot, including cigarette butts, empty soda cans and other trash.

The Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory is analyzing some of that evidence, but most of it has been turned over to FBI forensics technicians, said Kevin Jones, manager of the Tacoma lab.

Lakewood police continue to investigate the death of the fourth-grader, and officials said leads continue to come in.

No arrests have been made, and no suspects have been identified.

Costello said that to file charges of murder or manslaughter, prosecutors would need proof that a homicide occurred. Circumstantial evidence and witness testimony would be key.

"It remains possible because the M.E.'s opinion, while powerful evidence, is not the only evidence in a case," Costello said, referring to the medical examiner. "It could be proven with circumstantial evidence. It all depends on how it develops and the strength of the evidence."

Authorities are offering up to $60,000 for information leading to arrests, criminal charges and convictions in the girl's death.