On December 10, 2020, Detectives from the Oregon State Police Major Crimes section responded to the H.B. Van Duzer Scenic Corridor in Lincoln County, Oregon, for the report of human remains discovered just outside the rest area. An individual walking in the area discovered the remains of a female child, concealed inside a duffle bag, then hidden in the forest. Based on the level of decomposition, it appeared she had been deceased between 30-60 days before her discovery.
Investigators and experts at the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office, collected samples from the child’s remains for DNA testing by a specialty DNA laboratory. Parabon Nano Labs extracted DNA from the samples submitted, and on October 4, 2021, notified OSP investigators they identified the deceased child.
The deceased was identified as Haley Mae Coblentz. She was nine years old at the time of her death. Haley was born in Colorado. She was living with her biological mother and mother’s girlfriend in multiple places in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest since 2015. She was not reported as a missing person at the time of her death.
On November 30, 2021, with the assistance of the Detroit FBI, OSP Investigators located Haley’s mother, 29-year-old Shawna Browning, and 34-year-old Lauren Harrison in Detroit, Michigan. Investigators arrested Browning and Harrison and served a search warrant on their vehicle and hotel room.
Browning and Harrison were arrested on a Lincoln County, Oregon warrant and charged with:
- Aggravated Murder ORS 163.095
Browning and Harrison were lodged in detention facilities in Wayne County, Michigan, and are being held without bail.
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On December 10, 2020, the Oregon State Police recovered the remains of a female child in the forest immediately adjacent to the H.B. Van Duzer Forrest State Scenic Corridor rest area.
Her body was inside a duffle bag that had been concealed in the forest near the rest area. Based on the condition of the remains, little was known about the deceased’s race, appearance, or other identifying characteristics. In an attempt to identify the deceased, the Oregon State Police and Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office used a specialty lab to extract DNA information to aid in her identification.
With the assistance of Parabon Nanolabs, investigators now know more identifying details which will hopefully assist in her identification. The following new information is being released:
· Age: 7 – 9
· Eye color: Hazel / Brown
· Hair color: Brown / Black
· Skin color: Light Brown / Fair with no freckles
· Race: She has been identified as mostly Caucasian with some Central American ancestry
· She was wearing a pull-up diaper
The Oregon State Police has been working in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) since the discovery of the child’s remains. Over the past six months, detectives have definitively ruled out more than 60 potential missing kids from information provided by NCMEC and tips from the public.
While investigators continue to work in partnership with NCMEC, there is a strong likelihood this child has not been reported missing. Investigators would like the public to know, we are already considering all children listed on the NCMEC website and therefore, there is no need to contact the Oregon State Police to highlight those names.
This child would likely not have been seen since November 2020. If you have any information that might help investigators in identifying this child, please call 800-442-0776 or *OSP (*677).
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Oregon State Police investigators have received and investigated more than 180 tips from the public, law enforcement partners and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Using available dental records, field contacts, and other investigative techniques, investigators have been able to exclude 61 individuals from being the child whose remains were recovered.
Investigators are still actively working to identify the deceased, and reviewing information regarding missing children which changes and is updated frequently.
Several different investigative efforts are underway, including DNA analysis. With the assistance of the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office, DNA has been extracted and is awaiting analysis. This analysis is expected to provide investigators additional information regarding the race, origin, eye color, and other genetic details that may help lead to her identity. A sketch with the updated race and genetic details will be released upon receipt of the DNA information.
Anthropological and forensic dental examinations of the female child recovered at in the H.B. Van Duzer State Forrest Scenic Corridor have so far determined she is between 61/2 and 10 years old. She stood between 3’10’ and 4’6” tall. She had long black or dark brown hair. She died at least 30 days prior to her discovery on December 10, 2020.
Investigators continue to ask anyone with information about the identity of the deceased or the circumstances surrounding her death to call the Oregon State Police at 800-442-0776 or *OSP (*677).
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As part of the ongoing investigation into the discovery of a female child’s remains at the Van Duzer Rest Area in Lincoln County, the Oregon State Police (OSP) continues to solicit the public’s assistance in identifying the child and the circumstances around her death. To date, we have received over 150 tips from citizens in the United States and Canada. We are deeply appreciative of the public’s input so far, and continue to accept information that may lead to the identification of the child.
The Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office has estimated the child's age to be 6.5 to 10 years old. She is approximately 3’10” to 4’6” tall, and has long hair that is dark brown or black. Her race or ethnic origin has yet to be determined, but DNA analysis is not complete. A sketch completed by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office at our request has also been released.
OSP, in partnership with the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), and numerous state and local agencies across the United States, are using a variety of means to include or exclude known missing persons who match the general description and/or sketch previously released. This may include, but is not limited to, dental records, age, descriptors, and confirmed sightings via verifiable sources, and/or recent contacts with family or friends that demonstrate they were alive after the remains of the unidentified female were discovered in Lincoln County.
OSP will not comment on the individual methods used to exclude each child.
In an effort to refocus the public’s attention and reduce duplicative tips, OSP is now prepared to publicly exclude the following reported missing children from our investigation:
- Dulce Alavez, age 6, from Bridgeton, NJ
- Addyson Gibson, age 12, from Portland, OR
- Noelle Johnson, age 7, from Portland, OR
- Niayah Bylenga (AKA Niayah Crawford), age 7, from Pendleton, OR or Ritzville, WA
- Tarie Price, age 8, from Gretna, NE
- Breasia Terrell, age 10, from Davenport, IA
OSP reminds the public that while these children have been excluded from our investigation, they are all still reported missing and we ask the public to continue to be vigilant for these children and all other missing persons reported across the nation.
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The Oregon State Police is releasing the attached approximation sketch of the child that was found in Lincoln County on December 10, 2020.
Sketch was provided with assistance of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.
If you have any information that might help investigators in identifying this child, please call 800-442-0776 or *OSP (*677).
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Oregon State Police Detectives are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the remains of an individual discovered in rural Lincoln County.
On December 10, 2020, Investigators were summoned to the H.B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor for a death investigation. At this location, investigators found the remains of a female child.
The Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office estimate the deceased’s age to be 6.5 to 10 years old. She is approximately 3’10” to 4’6” tall, and had long hair that is dark brown or black. Her race or ethnic origin has yet to be determined, but DNA analysis is not complete.
Due to the condition of the remains she had likely been deceased at least 30 days before she was discovered.
If you have any information that might help investigators in identifying this child, please call 800-442-0776 or *OSP (*677).
No information regarding the cause or manner of death is available for release at this time.
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On Thursday, December 10, 2020 Oregon State Police Major Crimes Detectives responded to the H.B. Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor for a death investigation.
The area is a heavily wooded state park in Lincoln County, Oregon.
Due to the terrain OSP Detectives were assisted by Lincoln County SAR members.
At this time the deceased has yet to be positively identified. No further information regarding this individual is available for release until identity is established and next of kin can be notified.
An investigation into the circumstances of this incident is active and ongoing. No further details are available for release at this time.