Aoptopsy: 5-year-old Nevaeh Buchanan may have been buried alive

by Jonathan Oosting | MLive.com

Wednesday July 15, 2009, 7:25 AM

AP File PhotoAn undated photo released by the family shows five-year-old of Nevaeh Buchanan of Monroe.

The story of Monroe's Nevaeh Buchanan took another sad turn today, as an autopsy revealed the 5-year-old may have been buried alive.

DetNews, July 15: "The autopsy results have revealed that Nevaeh's death was caused by aspiration of (dirt)," according to a press release from the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. "This means that Nevaeh's face was forcibly maintained or embedded into a dirt surface. Whether this resulted from another person forcibly pressing her face into dirt or whether she was buried alive could not be determined."

Shane Hinojosa, Nevaeh's father, said he cussed out the sherrif's office for issuing the press release before telling him first-hand.

Two fisherman found Nevaeh's body — covered in cement — floating in the River Raisin 35 miles south of Detroit in June. She had been missing 10 days.

More than 700 people attended her funeral on June 14.

No one has been arrested in the case.