KALISPELL, Mont. – Authorities on Tuesday concluded there was no foul play in the death of a 3-year-old boy whose body was found in a septic tank near here.
Flathead County Sheriff Mike Meehan said in a brief, written statement that a "complete and thorough" investigation had concluded Loic J.M. Rogers' death was "accidental."
"The complete investigation is being turned over to the county attorney's office for review," he said.
Meehan did not elaborate, and did not immediately return a telephone call from The Associated Press seeking comment.
The boy was reported missing on the evening of Jan. 24 near Kalispell. Mark Rogers, Loic's father, told police he took Loic to his car outside a friend's home, told the boy to get in and then returned to the house for Loic's sister.
When he returned, the boy was gone.
A massive search was launched and the boy's body was found two days later in a septic tank less than 10 feet from the house where he was last seen.
An autopsy showed the boy had drowned, but authorities were investigating how he had gotten into the septic tank.
Authorities said they had looked in the septic tank during the search effort, but initially did not see anything there. They found the boy's body after draining the tank, Meehan said.
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