Autopsy report for Hazana Anderson explains factors that led to “undetermined cause of death” conclusion
The report shows signs of contusions on the body, but no definitive cause of death
BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - As news came out about the criminal charges and sentencing for the suspects in the Hazana Anderson case, many wondered why there were no murder charges in connection with the girl’s death.
One-year-old Hazana Anderson was reported missing from a College Station park on October 28, 2018 by her mother TiAundra Christon. The investigation would soon lead authorities to the child’s body. She was found in a bayou in Galveston County. Investigators say the girl was beaten to death in a Houston motel, then the body was put in the water.
Christon and her boyfriend, Kenny Hewett, 34, of Houston, were both arrested and charged in Galveston County, each on a charge of tampering with a human corpse.
The Galveston County District Attorney’s Office says they decided against going for murder charges, because of the findings in the autopsy.
That report was obtained by KBTX and answered more questions surrounding the death of Anderson.
According to the report from the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office, Anderson was found in trash bags tied to two concrete blocks. The body of Anderson was slightly decomposed from being in the water.
The medical examiner also found evidence of contusions to the child’s head, back, abdomen, and chest. Still, according to the medical examiner’s report, there was not enough evidence to determine the cause of death.
Shantae Motley is a criminal justice and forensics expert at Prairie View A&M University. She says an autopsy leading to this kind of cause of death is rare.
“It could be that there’s not enough evidence to clearly suggest evidence of a crime committed, or that no one manner of death was more compelling,” said Motley.
Motley says the manner of death is typically put into four different categories; suicidal, homicidal, accidental, or natural.
“Knowing the manner of death can help you with charges. Autopsies help tell a story and give you the story of what happened. If you have an autopsy that’s undetermined you can’t really use that as evidence,” said Motley.
Even with the manner in which the body was found, and the circumstances surrounding the case that the investigators knew, Motley says an autopsy has to be an unbiased examination of the body and the evidence included.
“Regardless of what it may look like, because there are times you go to the situation and find things and you look at a body and you’re just like, this has to be what it is. But if you do that, you’re being biased, and you’re not doing the job correctly. It could ultimately cause a conviction and not happen at all,” said Motley.
Christon and Hewett were both charged with Tampering with a Human Corpse and sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in jail with a $10,000 fine.
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