The official autopsy of Christopher Marks, a 12-year-old from Affton found two evenings after he went missing Sunday in the Meramec River and conservation area at the border of and Pacific at around 7:30 p.m., is awaiting toxicology which takes weeks, said officials.
However, St. Louis County Police Office and spokesperson Rick Eckhard told Patch on Thursday that preliminary reports indicate that Marks drowned.
The official “cause of death” can only be determined by the Medical Examiner’s Office after they have completed their toxicology report, said Eckhard.
"Toxicology may take weeks before we are advised of the results," he said.
Officials said Marks' did not have trauma to the body inconsistent with a drowning victim.
Eckhard said once information that the official, completed report is completed, all parties involved will revisit the cause of death and any other issues that may arise
For background regarding this tragic development, here are previous Patch articles, with most recent last:
