KOMO 4 News first reported Krissy's story and the mysterious deaths of others in the Bremerton home. Her family calls the state's new report a cover-up.

"I just want an end," says Denny Shannon, Krissy's father. "I just want some closure."

Last July, 29-year-old Krissy Shannon died suddenly. Krissy was developmentally delayed and autistic, but otherwise, she was healthy. She'd lived most of her life at the Frances Haddon Morgan Center in Bremerton. It specializes in autism.

"She appeared to be OK," says Shannon, "and all of a sudden she started breathing heavily and within moments she dropped over dead."

In September, the Kitsap County Coroner's Office ruled Krissy died of a drug overdose of chlorpheniramine. It's an over the counter antihistamine that nurses regularly gave Krissy for allergies.

But pathologist Dr. Emmanuel Lacsina said she had way too much of the drug in her system. The state disagreed. It hired its own experts who now report there was no overdose.

"The conclusion made by the Kitsap County Coroner's Office seems to be in error," says the Department of Social and Health Services Chief Medical Officer Dr. Christian Dahl.

But it isn't just Krissy's death. In November, KOMO 4 investigated several deaths at the Morgan Center - including the death of Jenny Jessup. Jenny was 27 and died suddenly last September of a perforated bowel.

Her sister Marjorie Aust blames the state. "Somebody dropped the ball very badly and because of their negligence they let a beautiful 27-year-old woman die," she said.

After our report, state investigators and a Bremerton detective interviewed Morgan Center staff. In Krissy's case, all said the drugs are kept in a locked cabinet and she couldn't have gotten any extra medication.

"I'm just, I'm not buying it," says Denny Shannon. "I think that somehow she was given a dose of antihistamines to calm her down."

But the state's report concludes that the amount of drug found in Krissy's body wasn't enough to kill her. So, how did she die? "Natural causes," says Dr. Dahl. In fact, the state's experts say they can't find an exact cause.

"In this particular case there's not really a clear answer," says Carol Kirk, superintendent of the Morgan Center. "And there are people that die from natural causes and you'll never really know what caused that."

Denny Shannon answered, "I just don't buy just dropping over dead, I just - not at 29 years old."

With the new report, the state wants the coroner to change Krissy's death certificate to "natural causes". Shannon thinks that's what the state wanted all along.

"Oh, I'm sure the state's trying to cover their rear end. I've said it from the get-go, I think that somebody has whitewashed this report."

The state insists it was looking for an independent investigation and that's what it got.

For the moment, the Kitsap County coroner stands by his ruling of a drug overdose, but he tells KOMO 4 News he will go over the state's report to see if there is something to reconsider.

In the meantime, Marjorie Aust is still waiting for the state to complete its investigation into her sister's death. We're told it could take a few more weeks.

For More Information:

Nov. 23, 2005 -- Earlier Story From KOMOtv.com
Nov. 17, 2005 -- Earlier Story From KOMOtv.com
Nov. 4, 2005 -- Earlier Story From KOMOtv.com