Medical examiners began the grim task today of determining the cause of a 3-year-old Burlington girl’s suspicious death last night.

Thursday, September 13, 2001

Medical examiners began the grim task today of determining the cause of a 3-year-old Burlington girl’s suspicious death last night.

Deputies suspect foul play and are "investigating the death as such," Sheriff Tim Sexton said in a prepared statement this morning.

Sexton could not be reached for further comment. The sheriff was attending the autopsy, which was being conducted at the West Virginia Medical Examiners Office since the girl’s death occurred at a hospital in that state.

According to reports, sheriff’s Deputy Darin Hamlin had pulled in to get fuel at Speedway in Burlington when a vehicle came onto the lot, with those in the vehicle needing assistance for a child who was not breathing.

Deputy Hamlin began efforts to resuscitate the child, later identified as Brooklyn Hope Peters.

An ambulance arrived shortly thereafter to transport the child to Cabell Huntington Hospital, where she died, Sexton’s report stated.

The sheriff’s department began investigating, suspecting foul play, and soon located the child’s residence in Burlington.

"At the time of the incident, the child was believed to be in a residence with a male adult and her two siblings," Sexton stated. "Officers were at the scene for several hours investigating and also have been questioning several other people throughout the evening. One subject has been identified by officials as a suspect in the matter and was being questioned by officials. At this time, the person’s identity is not being released."