Cause of girl’s death still unclear

Young declined to comment on whether police had identified any suspects. She said residents should remain vigilant, but advised against “heightened alarm.’’

A tall girl with a gap-toothed smile, Celina was last seen in her bedroom on the evening of July 25; she had disappeared by the next morning. After days of searching, officials recovered her body Monday from the Connecticut River, just a quarter-mile from her family’s home.

Investigators concluded that her death was suspicious after seeing the condition of the body. Young said yesterday that she had to withhold details to preserve the “integrity of the criminal investigation.’’

Young declined to say how long Celina’s body had been in the water, but said its immersion played a role in the autopsy. She would not say how toxiciology tests would help determine the cause of death.

Celina’s disappearance drew national attention and sparked a frantic search. Police said there were no signs of a struggle, and her family and friends said she was not the type to run away.

Over the weekend, scores of investigators canvassed homes and searched ponds and rugged woods within a 1-mile radius of her home. After her body was recovered, friends and neighbors gathered in remembrance in a park near her home, sending balloons with farewell messages into the sky.

Celina’s father described her yesterday as an “everyday child who loved being in life’’ and said he could not understand why anyone would hurt her.

“That’s the thing that puzzles me,’’ Adam Laro said in an interview broadcast on CNN. “I can’t see why someone would want to do that to my daughter… . She was very kind in spirit.’’

Laro said that when he last saw his daughter, she seemed happy at home, where she lives with her mother and stepfather.

“She showed me her grades and that everything was going good,’’ Laro said. “She said: ‘It’s good, Daddy. Everything is OK. I’m doing real good in school.’ ’’