Posted on 09/27/2002 10:04:11 PM PDT by HAL9000
STONEVILLE, N.C. (AP) - A partial skull and bone fragments found this week fit the description of a missing 9-year-old Virginia girl, according to a report from the state medical examiner.The report released Friday shows the skeletal remains were of a 9- or 10-year-old white female with medium-length brown hair who had died within the past year, and likely since early summer.
Authorities would not say whether they thought the remains were that of Jennifer Short, who disappeared on Aug. 15, the same day her parents were shot and killed at their Bassett, Va., home.
"It's not 100 percent, but we can not rule her out 100 percent either," said Sheriff's Major J.V. Thomas. "We have to look at all the options."
The report came a day after Henry County, Virginia, Sheriff Frank Cassell said he doubted the skull belonged to Short, citing preliminary forensics tests of hair.
DNA tests and other forensics work still must be completed before investigators can determine whether the remains are Jennifer's, authorities said.
The remains were found Wednesday on a rural wooded property in Rockingham County, N.C., about 30 miles south of the Shorts' home.
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