Minnesota police have ruled out the possibility of foul play in a 6-year-old’s hanging death, ultimately closing the case. They say that the little girl either committed suicide or died by accident, the Associated Press reports.
Kendrea Johnson was found unconscious in one of the bedrooms at her foster home with a jump rope around her neck on Dec. 27, according to AP. No one else was in the room at the time.
“All of the evidence leads back to either suicide or accidental,” Deputy Chief Mark Bruley said, according to AP. “The reality is, she was in the room by herself, and we’ll probably never know the answer to that.”
Apparently the little girl had expressed suicidal thoughts in the past and was being treated for other emotional issues. She had been placed in foster care in December 2013 after being taken away from her mother, who allegedly suffered from drug abuse.
Investigators reportedly found two notes written in purple marker in a child’s handwriting, declaring, “I’m sorry,” and “I’m sad for what I do.” Her foster mother claimed that the little girl said that she wanted to jump out of a window and die because “nobody likes me.” Kendrea also reportedly drew pictures of a child hanging from rope at school. In addition, there were healed marks on both sides of her neck, AP reports.
Kendra’s biological mother and grandmother believe that she was killed, but Bruley said that investigators were “extremely thorough” with the case. “She clearly had emotional issues. Does that mean she fully understood the consequences? I don’t know,” he said. “It’s an absolute tragedy all around.”
Read more at CBS Minnesota.