WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) -- Forensic authorities have identified the human remains found in the backyard of a Rose Hill home earlier this month. According to the Rose Hill Police Department, they belonged to Kennedy Jean Schroer, born on July 14, 2014.
They believe she died in November 2020, when she would have been six years old.
Last week, KSN spoke to Christa Helm, who claimed to be Kennedy's biological mother. She said a Rose Hill family had adopted three of her children.
The Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center was not able to determine a cause of death due to decomposition. Police say the forensic preliminary report gave findings that no visible injuries were observed, nor were any healing or healed injuries observable.
The medical examiner has not released the full report of the postmortem but has confirmed Kennedy’s identity through DNA analysis.
"We understand that many in the public might be confused how an arrest in this case has not
been made," the Rose Hill Police Department said in a news release. "That is completely understandable. 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 says releasing too much information might appear to implicate a person or persons who were not involved.
"What we can assure anyone interested in this case, Kennedy is the center of our Universe and will remain so until we have answers," the police department said.
The police said the adopted parents have been responsive to investigators.
The Rose Hill School District released a statement saying that Kennedy was a former student there. She attended kindergarten in the fall of 2020. The district says Kennedy's parents withdrew her to pursue homeschooling.
The kindergarten teacher remembers Kennedy as a happy girl who seemed to love school.
"While we fully respect the right of parents to choose the best educational setting for their children, we are heartbroken by the thought that had this student remained in our school, we might have had the opportunity to recognize signs of concern and offer help," the district news release said.
"This is a devastating tragedy for our entire community," Rose Hill Superintendent Chuck Lambert said. "We extend our deepest condolences to all who loved and cared for this child. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends during this incredibly difficult time."
The child was known most recently by her adoptive name, Kennedy Schroer, but to Helm, she will always be Natalie Garcia.
On Friday, Helm told KSN that her pain has turned into a fight for Natalie, who will never get to experience growing up.
Helm relinquished custody of three of her daughters in 2018. All three were adopted into the Schroer home in 2019. Police believe Natalie, whose name was changed to Kennedy Schroer, died in November 2020, just a year after being adopted.
"Now that DNA has come back, I know it's Natalie, I know it's Natalie, we all know it's Natalie," said Helm.
After visiting with the police chief, Helm took her first trip to Rose Hill. She said she felt chills when she saw the house her daughter was buried in.
"It paralyzed me. We were just driving down the street, and there it was, just the thoughts of everything had already been going through my mind but may have happened. What has happened? What's happening now?" Helm said.
She said she thought her kids would have a chance at a better life when she lost custody and was confused about how things went so south.
"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," said Helm.
She met with Rose Hill's police chief at length. The chief called it a powerful conversation. He said those in his department feel they are now tied to this investigation for life, wanting to find justice for the little girl.
"We're all humans. It's easy to look at people in uniforms as robots, like becoming numb over the course of the years. I can promise you that nobody involved in this case is numb to these events. As this has been said multiple times, this is not normal for Rose Hill, but this is not normal for New York City or Philadelphia or Chicago; this is an abnormal event, and as a result, it's affecting people in those ways," said Rose Hill Police Chief Taylor Parlier.
Christa said would not rest until justice is delivered for her little Natalie. Her family is raising funds to one day have a proper funeral. She said the family is considering hiring legal counsel as she fights to get her two other daughters back home.
KSN has reached out to the Kansas Department for Children and Families again for records in this case.
