Report Cites Lack of Coordination in Recovery of Mitrice Richardson Remains

The case involves the death of 24-year-old woman who disappeared after leaving a sheriff's station

A lack of coordination between sheriff's investigators and coroner's officials led to questions about the handling of the remains of a woman who disappeared after leaving a sheriff's station in 2009, according to an oversight group's report.

Full Report: March 2012 OIR Review

The report, released Wednesday by the Office of Independent Review (OIR), states that questions continue over what information was exchanged between the two agencies after the discovery of Mitrice Richardson's remains in a canyon.

Richardson was arrested Sept. 16, 2009 for failing to pay her bill at a Malibu restaurant. The 24-year-old was released early the next morning from the Malibu-Lost Hills Sheriff's Station. Her skeletal remains were found in August 2010 about 30 miles from the station.

A cause of death remains undetermined. The identity was confirmed through dental records.

The case led to a wrongful death lawsuit by Richardson's parents. They claim deputies should not have released their daughter.

A previous OIR report indicated the deputies acted "properly and legally'' by releasing her.

As for the handling of the remains, Tuesday's report indicated the coroner's office provided deputies with initial approval to remove bones discovered in the canyon. But when deputies began removing bones, it was discovered they were part of a skeleton, according to the report.

An additional phone call was made to  the coroner to authorize the removal of the full skeleton, according to sheriff's officials. But coroner's officials deny ever receiving the second request, according to the report.

The agencies still disagree about the authorization.

"The fact that there is a factual dispute about this issue only emphasizes the need in future cases to improve communication and documentation between LASD and the Office of the Coroner," the report states.

The report also mentions that crews initially planned to airlift coroner's officials to the site. The assigned helicopter was diverted to two emergency calls in the Angeles National Forest.

As skies darkened, authorities had to make a decision.

"Through a confluence of unforeseen events and precarious conditions where the remains were found, the Sheriff's Department was left with the choice of either abandoning the remains until the following day when the Coroner could arrive to process the scene, recovering the remains and hiking out of the canyon in darkness or airlifting them back to the command post," the report states.

The decision was made to remove the remains without a coroner's official present.

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"OIR is concerned that while a number of unforeseen circumstances made the recovery of the remains more difficult, significant communication gaps between the LASD and the Coroner likewise contributed to making effective decision-making more difficult," the report states.

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