Celina Cass Found: Autopsy Could Give Clues Surrounding 'Suspicious' Death
The autopsy of Celina Cass, the New Hampshire girl missing since July 25, will be conducted Tuesday morning and may provide more clues as to how the 11-year-old died.
Divers discovered a female body in the Connecticut River on Monday, less than a mile from Cass’ house. Authorities did not immediately identify the victim, but later revealed it was the missing girl.
New Hampshire Senior Assistant Attorney General Jane Young said, "We have brought Celina home, not the way we wanted to bring her home.”
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The circumstances around her death are “suspicious,” according to police.
Young said the case was reclassified from missing person to a criminal investigation.
She said, "We are looking at all facets of the investigation and that includes where she was last seen."
The body of Celina Cass was found near a hydroelectric dam between Stewartstown and Canaan, Vermont – a quarter mile from her home.
Celina was last seen in the bedroom of her Stewartstown, New Hampshire, home around 9 p.m. Monday, July 25. Authorities have not identified any suspects as yet.
According to Young, it was a “routine search because of the proximity to (Celina's) home.”
Over 100 investigators across federal, state, and local levels were involved in the search for Cass. The FBI also announced an offer of $25,000 for any information regarding the case. An unknown member of the community added an additional $5,000 dollars to the reward sum.
The discovery of Cass comes just one day after Adam Laro, Celina’s biological father who reached out the public for the first time pleading for his daughter to come home.
He said, "So whenever you're ready to come home Celina, daddy will be here waiting for you."
After Cass' body was found Monday, Laro thanked all residents and authorities who dedicated their time to finding Celina.
"(She was) someone who was loving and caring to a lot of people. That's how I would like to remember her," said Laro, according to ABC News.
A team specializing in child abductions was brought in by the FBI. Anyone with information on the case of Celina Cass is encouraged to call New Hampshire State Police at 603-846-3333.
