Riverton teen was a good girl, mother says DECK: Many questions still unanswered in death of 15-year-old


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RIVERTON — Anne Kasprzak was a typical teenager.

She had her moments of rebellion and her ups and downs like any teen, according to her mother. But she did not do drugs, did not drink alcohol and she was a very good girl, Veronica Kasprzak-Bratcher said Tuesday.

The night Anne disappeared, she was at her mother's Riverton house doing homework, trying to make up some of the assignments she missed after recently having her wisdom teeth pulled. She had completed a research paper that evening and was "in a good mood all night," her mother said.

"Our daughter was a very good girl. She did not deserve what happened to her," said the girl's stepfather, James Bratcher.

Tuesday, neither police nor family members had new information to release regarding Anne's death. Her body was discovered Sunday in the Jordan River, along the parkway in the south end of the valley.

Draper police on Tuesday were back on the parkway and the bridge where one of Anne's sneakers, which had blood on it, was found near 12600 South. Police said they were simply giving the crime scene another look, but had no other information to release.

They again declined to disclose the cause of death, even though an autopsy was conducted on Monday.

Police have classified the case as a "suspicious death investigation" that is being treated as a homicide.

Draper Police Sgt. Chad Carpenter would only say Monday that Anne had suffered "injuries," but declined to talk about what kind or whether they might have been caused by a weapon.

Anne's parents, while admitting they do not know all the facts involved in the investigation and do not want to compromise the case, said Tuesday their talks with investigators lead them to believe their daughter's injuries were not accidental or self-inflicted.

Anne was last seen in her mother's home, near 12800 South and 2300 West, about 7:45 p.m. on March 10. About an hour later, they contacted Unified police saying they did not know where she was. She was reported as a "runaway" and her name was put on the National Crime Information Center.

But Kasprzak-Bratcher said it was mostly a case of the family not knowing where Anne had gone and Anne not being where her family expected she would be. Family members unsuccessfully searched all night for her and well into Sunday morning.

While Kasprzak-Bratcher did not want to say much about the investigation, she wanted to clear any misconceptions the public might have about her daughter. She said firmly that Anne was a good girl, and just an everyday average 15-year-old. She said her daughter had gone on dates with several boys, but did not have a serious boyfriend.

Police could not say Tuesday what evidence they had that led them to classify her as a runaway.

Draper police have said they believed the attack was an isolated incident and Anne was not targeted at random. No suspect information has been released, nor any explanation about why police believe the incident was isolated.

Family members were waiting for Anne's body to be released from the medical examiner before making funeral arrangements.

Detectives have asked the public to call 801-840-4000 if anyone has information about Anne's whereabouts between 7:45 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday. She was last seen wearing a red flannel shirt and blue jeans.

Email:preavy@ksl.com

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