MARICOPA COUNTY OFFICE OF THE MEDICAL EXAMINER 701 W. Jefferson Street Phoenix, AZ 85007 MEDICAL EXAMINER REPORT DECEDENT: Anna Loera CASE: 20-00912 DATE OF EXAMINATION: 01/30/2020 TIME: 0800 Hours PERSONS PRESENT AT EXAMINATION: Phoenix Police Department: Detective Jeffrey Goodin, #7514, and Detective Ryan Petker, #8097. Maricopa County Attomeys Office: Observer, Kate Loudenslagel CAUSE OF DEATH: Child abuse, including acute and chronic skeletal injuries and neglect MANNER OF DEATH: Homicide HOW INJURY OCCURRED: Physical abuse and neglect 5/28/2020 fe { A 4 Date Signed AMBER WANG, MD MEDICAL EXAMINERANNA LOERA 20-0912 EXAMINATION FINDINGS |. Child abuse, including acute and chronic skeletal injuries and neglect: Reported history of physical abuse of the decedent and siblings. Concealment of human remains. Advanced decomposition (primarily skeletonization) Osseous trauma: i. Possible acute fracture of the right cranium/sphenoid. ii, Possible acute fracture of the left mandible corpus. ili, Healing/healed fractures of the right clavicle, right and left ribs, vertebrae (T11, 12, L1), right and left hand bones, pelvis, and long bones. iv. See separate Anthropology Report for complete details, gop> SUMMARY AND OPINION On the afternoon of January 28, 911 was called regarding a house fire. Fire department personnel arrived and made entry into the home to investigate and ensure safety. Upon entering, they discovered skeletal remains in the living room near a fireplace. Law enforcement was contacted and secured the scene. Law enforcement documents have been reviewed. Further investigation revealed that the house belonged to a married couple who have adopted 4 children. The eldest, Anna Loera (later identified as the decedent, date of birth 1/22/07), had not been seen in approximately 2 years. On January 20, a 911 call was placed by one of the children stating that she had been alone for two days and was hungry. Her mother (Maribel Loera) was reportedly out of town with the 2 other children, and the location of her father (Rafael Loera) was unknown. The child was removed from the house at that time by Arizona Department of Child Safety. On January 28, follow up was conducted at the residence, and the father, Rafael, was contacted at the front door. The remaining 2 children were turned over to Arizona Department of Child Safety, and the house was not entered during that encounter. During the time period of the remaining two children being removed from the home, the older child who had been previously removed was interviewed by police. She reported to police that she was physically abused by being struck with knotted extension cords and had her head slammed into walls. She reported that she had an older sister, Ana, who disappeared approximately 2 years prior; her mother stated she was adopted and sent to Colombia, and her father stated she was adopted and sent to Mexico. On January 28, less than one hour after the remaining children had been removed from the home, 911 was called regarding an active fire at the residence. Rafael met firefighters outside and stated that the fire was under control. Firefighters entered to ensure safety. They noticed a large, deep hole dug in the laundry room. As they began to pull the ceiling down to ensure no active embers, they noted possible human bones on the floor and the scene was then secured. The bones were confirmed to be that of a human juvenile. Rafael admitted to starting the fire in order to end his life. Subsequent scene investigation revealed numerous bones in the living room, as well as in a shed in the backyard. Page 2 of 4ANNA LOERA 20-00912 Various stories were provided by the parents to law enforcement. The father confirmed the abuse reported by the children, and stated that his wife was responsible. He initially told law enforcement that the decedent had moved to Mexico, but eventually admitted that she was deceased. He disclosed that in July 2017, while on summer break, the decedent became ill and was vorniting. He waited several days to seek medical treatment, and while en route to the hospital, she died. He feared the other children would be taken away, so he returned home with her, wrapped her in a sheet, and placed her in the attic. On the day of the fire, he removed her remains from the attic and placed them in the backyard before setting the house on fire. He admitted that his wife had physically abused the decedent around the time of her death, and stated that she would “probably” show injuries. Postmortem examination was performed alongside forensic anthropologist, Dr. Laura Fulginiti. The remains were primarily skeletonized with few fragments of detached soft tissue. The remains underwent a complete anthropological assessment, which is detailed in the separate Anthropology Report. In summary, a near-complete human skeleton was recovered with thermal and postmortem taphonomic alterations. The skeleton was that of a juvenile with a postmortem interval of 1 year to 5 years prior to recovery. The following osseous trauma was noted: possible acute fracture of the right cranium/sphenoid, possible acute fracture of the left mandible corpus, healing/healed fractures of the right clavicle, right and left ribs, vertebrae (T11, T12, L1), right and left hand bones, pelvis, and long bones. See separate Anthropology Report for complete details. Positive identification was made via dental comparison by Dr. John Piakis, and identified the decedent as Anna Loera (date of birth January 22, 2007). Dried tissue from within the cranial vault and detached skeletal muscle were submitted for toxicologic analysis. Ibuprofen, theophylline, nicotine, and beta-phenethylamine (a product of decomposition) were detected in muscle tissue. See toxicology report for complete details. Based on the postmortem examination findings and all other investigative information received to date and as available to me, it is my opinion that the decedent died of child abuse, including acute and chronic skeletal injuries and neglect. Given the reported circumstances of death, it is further my opinion that the manner of death is most appropriately designated homicide. As with all death investigations, opinions expressed herein are amenable to change should new, reliable, and pertinent information come to light. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office is required by statute (A.R.S. § 11-594(A) (2) and (4)) to certily the cause and manner of death following completion of the death investigation of each case over which it assumes jurisdiction, and to promptly execute a death certificate, on a form provided by the state registrar of vital statistics, indicating the cause and manner of death. The form provided by the state registrar of vital statistics includes five manners of death: homicide, suicide, accident, natural, and undetermined. The determination of manner of death is a forensic determination by the pathologist Page 3 of 4,{v/ANNA LOERA 20-00912 predicated upon the totality of all then-known forensic evidence and other circumstances surrounding the ‘cause of death; its not a legal determination of criminal or civil responsibilty of any person(s) for the death. POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION EXTERNAL EXAMINATION Received in a plastic body pouch secured by a seal bearing the number "0044084" are two separate brown bags. One bag is double bagged One bag contains a cranium, detached mandible, teeth, and ribs. The cranium is brown/black and has undergone thermal injury. Brown hair is adhered to the occipital region. A small string of beads is adhered to the base of the cranium, adjacent to the foramen magnum. Natural maxillary teeth are present. Dried, white-tan to brown tissue is within the cranial vault. The mandible is partially fragmented, and contains natural teeth The other bag contains numerous bones, including those of the vertebral column, the clavicles, bones of the pelvis, and bones of the upper and lower extremities, a few fragments of detached soft tissue, brown hair intermingled with apparent insulation material, and 2 socks, one of which contains bones of the foot. Refer to separate Anthropology Report for complete details, ANCILLARY STUDIES Portions of hair are retained. TOXICOLOGY: Samples of intracranial tissue and skeletal muscle are collected and submitted for analysis (see separate toxicology report) ARWijhm Page 4 of 4 wdMaricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner Forensic Science Center 701 W. Jefferson St. - Phoenix, AZ 85007 (602) 506-3322 Gage oraruann gurus porate) ds (aerauncc) bom Ce “Nabe cane - septa ba wea ch av (enn = oyna” ON eo ada bbe in ‘ . ee =a porron o rads on ta} aon a i ee AGRE t quo $ ey Sapreent & Sek Sepia seat oo _ dared NSS Stevan ae Hair Color: Beard (¥/N) Diu 2020-00912 Remains, Unidentified Teeth: © Mustache (V/N) Phoenix PD weight: to Clothing: 28008 Height: seal No. QCHWO8 4