BEAVER — The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a 13-year-old girl last week at a West End campground.
The girl, from Port Angeles, was found dead in her tent at the Tumbling Rapids Campground, where she was camping with her mother and a couple of her mother’s friends, said Deputy Bill Cortani of the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
She was found dead in one of their two tents Friday morning.
The cause of death was unknown as of Saturday.
Cortani said there was no evidence of foul play.
Clallam County Sheriff Bill Benedict said detectives are treating it as a suspicious death.
“Thirteen-year-olds generally just don’t die in a campground without something extenuating,” he said.
The Sheriff’s Office is declining to provide her name until her death certificate is signed.
She has no known health problems, Cortani said.
Benedict said autopsy and toxicology reports are expected to explain why she died. Results may take a week, he said.
Cortani said there was no evidence at the campsite that the girl took drugs or drank alcohol. But a drug- or alcohol-induced death is not being ruled out, he said.
Cortani said detectives canvassed the rest of the campground but no one could shed light on what happened.
He said there about five to 10 other sites at the campground were in use.
The campground, on forestland owned by Rayonier Inc., is located off of U.S. Highway 101 near the Sol Duc River.
________
Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              360-417-3532      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
