Police Identify Child's Body As That Of Kiaya Campbell
THORNTON, Colo. (CBS4)- Police positively identified the body of a child found on Thursday afternoon as that of Kiaya Campbell who went missing the day before. The Adams County Coroner confirms "other than accidental" cause of death.
Officers rushed to the 12400 block of Forest Drive in Thornton just before midnight on Wednesday on reports of a missing child.
Campbell was last seen with a 15-year-old boy, the son of her father's girlfriend. The pair was walking to a shopping center in the area of 136th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard when he told police the two became separated during the rainstorm.
An extensive search for Kiaya was launched, including an Amber Alert. A child's body was found by a Thornton resident about 5:30 p.m. Thursday and reported to police with a 911 call.
The search was called off shortly after, even though a positive ID was not issued until 3:30 p.m. Friday.
On Friday, officers with Thornton police searched the area where her body was found.
The Adams County Coroner has not elaborated on the exact cause of death.
Thornton Mayor Heidi Williams issued this statement on behalf of her office: On behalf of the Thornton City Council, I want to express our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Kiaya Campbell. Today we mourn with all those in our city and beyond that feel the loss of such a beautiful child. We pray for strength and compassion for those close to Kiaya in the coming days and weeks.
The Thornton community demonstrated its amazing spirit of togetherness and concern yesterday as literally hundreds of volunteers came together in a very short amount of time to help find Kiaya. Seeing all of these people with deep concern and resolve to help a child is a clear reminder for all to see that we live in a very special community.
We also express our most sincere gratitude to all of the agencies and dozens of law enforcement and emergency personnel that came to aid in this effort. Thornton had teams from throughout the state, along with federal agencies, that responded quickly and effectively to help. Thornton's close partnership with Adams County Five Star Schools was invaluable yesterday and we appreciate and admire the high level of responsiveness and access provided to our emergency personnel and the community we all serve.
We also appreciate the patience of the community as our police department continues to look into the circumstances of this matter.
Officers are asking anyone with information on what might have happened to Campbell to contact them at 720-977-5069.