Indiana County Coroner Jerry Overman Jr. yesterday cautioned against jumping to conclusions as to the cause and manner of death of Nalani Johnson, the Penn Hills toddler whose body was found in the Pine Ridge park area on Tuesday afternoon.
In a statement issued yesterday, Overman says he wants all of the facts in hand before he lists the cause of death and rules on the manner of death. He says autopsies and toxicology results take time to complete, approximately six weeks or more, and once the reports are completed and received, they must be reviewed. Then an official release depends on the status of the investigation of the Allegheny County Police.
The coroner says he’s heard of several causes of death in the past couple of days, but nothing has been confirmed or released by him, and nothing will be until he has all of the resting and reports.
Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala said yesterday that 25-year-old Sharena Nancy of Penn Hills is believed to be the only person involved in Nalani’s kidnapping and death last Saturday. He said Nalani’s father, Paul Johnson, is not implicated in the baby’s death and is cooperating with the investigation. Nancy had allegedly claimed to police that Johnson had sold his daughter for $10,000. She’s being held at the Allegheny County Jail without bond, but so far is not charged with homicide. She’s charged with kidnapping of a minor, interference with the custody of children, and concealment of the whereabouts of a child.
Nalani would have turned two years old on September 15th. Last night, more than 500 people held a candlelight vigil in her honor at the Blairsville Amphitheater. Paul Johnson was there and spoke to the gathering.
