Authorities have discovered and confirmed the identity of a decomposing body of a young girl from Kansas in the backyard of her adoptive family’s residence, where it had been decaying since her death four years prior, according to investigators.
Authorities in Rose Hill made a tragic discovery while attending to a different matter at the family’s residence earlier this month. On Friday, it was revealed that the remains found belonged to Kennedy Jean Schroer, who was approximately 6 years old at the time of her death in November 2020.
The Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center, responsible for the identification, could not establish a cause of death because of the body’s advanced decomposition. Authorities indicated that the initial forensic findings revealed no apparent injuries.
On September 10, officers visited the home of Kennedy’s family following a report of an adult who might be barricaded and posing a threat to their own safety, as reported by the Topeka Capital-Journal.
During their visit to the residence, authorities discovered details regarding a previous homicide and found human remains in the backyard, as stated by Rose Hill police chief Taylor Parlier, according to the local newspaper.
The lack of arrests in the case has led to increasing demands for justice from Kennedy’s biological mother.
“We understand that many in the public might be confused how an arrest in this case has not been made. That is completely understandable,” the Rose Hill Police Department said in a press release.
“What we would like to convey is that we have one chance to gather as much information as possible, to find out what happened to this child, and to tell her story. While we understand the desire to hold persons accountable, we need to get this correct and not fast.”
The department warns that disclosing excessive information could unintentionally suggest involvement of individuals who had no part in the matter. Authorities reported that Kennedy’s adoptive parents have been cooperative with the investigation to this point.
Christa Helm, asserting her identity as Kennedy’s biological mother, informed KSN that she lost custody of her three daughters in 2018, with the children subsequently placed with the Schroers in 2019.
Helm envisioned a brighter future for her children beyond her care and continues to grapple with the reasons behind the unfortunate turn of events.
“The state of Kansas has failed my kids, and I want them to get the proper therapy and love they need from their real family, where they belong,” Helm told KSN.
The Rose Hill School District has verified that Kennedy was enrolled in kindergarten in 2020, but disclosed that her adoptive parents decided to withdraw her in order to consider homeschooling options.
The fate of Kennedy’s two sisters remains uncertain as the investigation unfolds. Helm expressed that the family is considering legal representation and that she is optimistic about bringing them both back home.