ROMULUS, Mich. (AP) -- Authorities turned to a dental exam and DNA tests Tuesday to determine whether a badly burned body found in a suburban Detroit field is that of a 7-year-old girl who disappeared days ago.
Raven Jeffries last was seen Friday night, when her older brother said he saw her leave her home on Detroit's southwest side. Police issued an Amber Alert on Saturday, and the FBI began aiding the search.
On Monday, Romulus police found a body that appeared to be that of a black child under the age of 14, said Detective Joshua Monte. Raven is black, 4-foot-2 and 65 pounds, authorities say.
The Wayne County medical examiner's office called in a forensic dentist to compare Raven's dental records to those of the body, the Detroit Free Press reported on its Web site Tuesday. Authorities also were seeking a quick DNA analysis by the state police Northville crime lab.
Police were questioning several registered sex offenders from the neighborhood, the Free Press said.
Raven's mother, Brenda Jeffries, said she was trying to avoid drawing conclusions but said the finding of the body made her increasingly afraid.
"I wish I hadn't heard anything about that because that's all I can think about," the 41-year-old told The Detroit News. "What monster would do that to a baby? I feel like I walked into a nightmare here, and I can't get out of it."
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2006-08-09 06:33:51
