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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, March 7, 2010

Kauai police close Lauren Kagawa death case


Paul C. Curtis
The Garden Island

LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i Police Department investigators recently closed the case involving the death of Lauren Kagawa of Puhi, they said.

Assistant Chief Roy Asher, in charge of KPD’s Investigative Services Bureau, said there was more evidence to show absence of foul play than presence of foul play in Kagawa’s death.

On the morning of Aug. 17, 2009, Kagawa was found dead in the driveway of the Puhi Ho‘okena subdivision duplex she shared with her mother and sister.

In his official statement, released by county public information officer Mary Daubert, Asher said the cause of death was an accidental overdose of prescribed medication, with no evidence of foul play.

The autopsy and toxicology report indicated the cause of death as a combination of prescription drugs and alcohol.

In a telephone interview, Asher said whoever brought Kagawa home late Sunday night of Aug. 16, 2009, or early Monday morning, Aug. 17, 2009, and left her in her driveway was not involved in her death.

He also said police were unable to identify the person or persons who dropped her off, so weren’t able to determine why they brought Kagawa home instead of getting medical help for her.

Other Kagawa family members said Joy Kagawa, Lauren Kagawa’s mother, did not want to comment for the purposes of this story.

Lauren Kagawa was 27 when she died.