Police investigate death of girl, 17, in Marysville

MARYSVILLE — Detectives are investigating the death of a 17-year-old girl whose friends found her unconscious Saturday.

No cause of death has been determined, Marysville police Cmdr. Robb Lamoureux said Tuesday. Investigators are waiting on toxicology reports. Those results could take weeks.

“There were no signs of obvious trauma. We’re looking at a potential overdose as part of the investigation,” Lamoureux said.

He declined to say what drugs may be suspected in the girl’s death. Investigators also aren’t ruling out a medical condition as the cause of death, Lamoureux said.

Police were called to a house in Marysville about 2 p.m. Saturday. A group of young people had been out partying Friday night, Lamoureux said. The young people who live at the house tried to wake the girl up Saturday, but she was unresponsive, he said. They summoned their parents, who called 911. The girl was pronounced dead at the scene, Lamoureux said.

Detectives have been interviewing people who were with the girl Friday night.

“It’s still early in the investigation. We’re gathering facts. We’re not looking at anyone as a suspect,” Lamoureux said.

Detectives also are weeding through many rumors about the girl’s death, he said. People have been using social media sites to discuss the death. Not all of the information that is being passed around is fact, Lamoureux said.

“If people have factual information, we want to talk to them,” he said.

The girl was a junior in the Bio-Med Academy at Marysville Getchell High School. She also attended Sno-Isle Skills Center. School officials on Monday sent a letter to parents at Marysville schools to notify them of the girl’s death. They planned to have a crisis team and counselors available to students and staff.

“We all feel a tremendous loss — it is never easy to lose any child and we’ll hold family and friends close in our hearts at this sad time,” the letter said.

Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com.