MEDIA ADVISORY/NEWS RELEASE
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DATE: "April 7, 2018"
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Incident Number: 2018-9877
Crime/Incident: Coroners Case, Body Recovery Near the Hart Family Crash Site
Location: Highway 1 at Juan Creek, Westport CA
Date of Incident: 04-07-2018
Time: 1:58 PM
Victim(s): African American Female, age unknown
Suspect(s): N/A
Written By: Lieutenant Shannon Barney
Synopsis: On April 7, 2018 around 1:58 PM the California Highway Patrol (CHP) received a call regarding a found body in the surf of the Pacific Ocean at Juan Creek and Highway 1 in Westport CA. This area is in the immediate vicinity of the recent Hart Family crash. The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office responded to the location to conduct a Coroner's Investigation and learned that a couple, vacationing along the coast, observed a possible body floating in the surf near Juan Creek. The Westport Fire Department had patrolled the area an hour prior but did not see anything. The body was pulled from the surf, onto the beach, by a third bystander where it was later recovered by Westport Fire.
The recovered body appears to be that of an African American Female but the age and a postitive identity could not be determined. An autopsy will be conducted on Tuesday and the cause of death is unknown. The Sheriff's Office is investigating the possibility that the body may be one of the two missing Hart girls but identification will most likely be done through DNA analysis, a process that can take several weeks.
It is not uncommon after a significant storm, such as the one passing through the north state currently, to bring items to the surface or wash onto the beach. The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office is monitoring the ocean conditions to see when further searches might be safetly conducted. This evaluation includes the use of divers if conditions permit. There were no other signs of the other missing Hart children.
Approved by: Lieutenant Shannon Barney
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