Russian Authorities Continue Investigation On Possible Murder In Gardendale
By: Jenne Anderson
Updated: February 20, 2013
Several international media outlets site Pavel Astakhov, the Russian Ombudsman for Children from the Kremlin, saying that autopsy results show Max was beaten and given heavy psychoactive drugs by his adoptive parents in Gardendale.
Here in the basin, medical officials say that information is unknown, because the autopsy is still pending in Tarrant County.
"I don't know where they're getting this information from," said Forensic Investigator Sondra Woolf. "Because we haven't even been provided with any reports or anything like that."
Woolf is the forensic death investigator who responded to Max's case on January 21.
She tells us the autopsy was ordered shortly after the boy's suspicious death.
"There was some bruising, just in various places," recalled Woolf. "Whether they had anything to do with his cause of death we don't know. And we won't know until we get the autopsy report back."
Which means the investigation continues for Russian authorities; the Ector County Sheriff's Department; and Child Protective Services, who says that the Shatto family has had no prior involvement with CPS.
They also tell us they are monitoring Max's younger brother, Kristopher, who still lives in the Gardendale home.
On Monday we reached out to Laura and Allen Shatto, but they didn't have anything to say.
Meanwhile people all over the world are left wondering what happened to Max Shatto.
"When there's possible suspicion in the way they many have died we want to find out what happened," said Ector County Sgt. Gary Duesler.
The Ector County Medical Examiner's Office tells us they don't expect to have the autopsy results back for another 6 to 8 weeks.
Russia has also targeted the U.S. State Department, saying they have not been cooperative in this investigation.
The State Department issued a statement on Tuesday, saying that Moscow has made strong assertions, and that they will also wait until the local investigation is complete before making a move in this case.
Like Jenne Anderson's page on Facebook!


