Autopsy: Hannah Anderson's Mom Bound, Gagged, Beaten

She was died of at least 12 blows to head, had broken arm
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 24, 2013 1:17 AM CDT
Updated Sep 24, 2013 6:50 AM CDT
Autopsy: Hannah Anderson Mother Bound, Gagged
Hannah Anderson looks back into the crowd during the memorial service for her mother, Christina Anderson, and brother, Ethan Anderson.   (AP Photo/U-T San Diego, Howard Lipin, Pool)

Christina Anderson, mother of kidnapped teen Hannah Anderson, was bound and gagged before she was killed by at least a dozen blows to the face and head, according to newly released autopsy results. Her mouth and neck bore "multiple layers" of duct tape. The 44-year-old also had a broken arm and a slashed throat, although the latter apparently occurred post-mortem, the Los Angeles Times reports. A crowbar was found near her body.

An autopsy on the badly burned body of her 8-year-old son, Ethan, was unable to pinpoint an exact cause of death. According to the report, "It is possible that he died of thermal burns without smoke inhalation in the house fire" that consumed the home of family friend James DiMaggio, though there were fractures to his skull that could have been caused by either the fire or DiMaggio. Police believe DiMaggio carried out both murders before kidnapping 16-year-old Hannah. He was shot and killed by FBI agents six days later. A police spokesman had no comment on the autopsy results and said they would not be releasing further information on their investigation, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune. (More Christina Anderson stories.)

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