Many Unanswered Questions In Brooklyn Park Girl's Death
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (WCCO) – Brooklyn Park police are investigating the weekend death of a 6-year-old girl.
She died Saturday night at North Memorial Medical Center after being found unconscious in a home on the 9200 block of Queens Garden Avenue. Police say the initial call reported that the child had inadvertently wrapped a jump rope around her neck.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner identified the girl as Kendrea Johnson. The medical examiner's report shows the girl's cause and manner of death is pending further investigation.
WCCO has reached out to police to find out if her death appears to be suspicious or accidental. But at this point, those are still unanswered questions.
Bob Jamor, a neighbor, called the death devastating.
"We've been here 17 years, coming up 18 years on Memorial weekend. It's a very established neighborhood. It's very quiet, and people have been around here forever," he said. "It was very surprising to hear about the child and what happened."
The girl's grandmother, Mary Broadus, said that the child was staying with foster parents in Brooklyn Park when she was taken to the hospital.
Broadus told WCCO her granddaughter and grandson had been in foster care with the family since March, but Broadus was hoping to gain custody of both of the children.
"She was my ray of sunshine," Broadus said.
Kendrea's aunt, Lutece Tate-Davis, said the family will remember Kendrea's bubbly personality.
"She was very smart, she was outgoing, to the point where if you saw her growing older she would have just lived life," Tate-Davis said.
Kendrea's family said they are hoping to locate her 1-year-old brother, who they say was in the same foster home, but has since been removed pending the investigation.
"This family is grieving, grieving hard," said Tate-Davis, "Something is not right and we want answers."
Brooklyn Park police said they had been called to the residence on Queens Garden Avenue multiple times before for what they described as minor incidents.
Police wouldn't say if they suspect and foul play since it is so early in the investigation.