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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 3 april 2018

Police looking at 'red flags'

before California cliff crash

By GENE JOHNSON and cited privacy laws in refus- cords, credit card receipts,
PHUONG LE ing to confirm or deny the journals or other docu-
Associated Press agency was involved. ments that might shed light
SEATTLE (AP) — Investiga- Long before the crash, Sar- on the case.
tors said Monday they were ah Hart pleaded guilty in The large, multiracial
examining "red flags" in a 2011 to a domestic assault brood, led by Sarah and
Washington state family's charge in Minnesota over Jennifer Hart, both 38, grew
past in hopes of explaining what she said was a spank- their own food, went on
why their SUV went off a ing given to one of her road trips and took part in
100-foot cliff in what might children. And last month, activist causes.
have been an intentional concerned neighbors in The three children found at
plunge. Woodland, Washington, the crash scene were Mar-
The wreck was discovered contacted child welfare kis Hart, 19, Jeremiah Hart, This March 20, 2016 photo shows Hart family of Woodland, Wash.,
last week on rocks along authorities, saying the chil- 14, and Abigail Hart, 14. at a Bernie Sanders rally in Vancouver, Wash.
the coast near Mendocino, dren may have been going There was no sign of Han- Associated Press
California, a few days after hungry. nah Hart, 16; Sierra Hart, 12;
child welfare authorities in On Sunday, authorities an- and Devonte Hart, 15.
Washington began inves- nounced that data from Devonte drew national
tigating whether the chil- the vehicle's software sug- attention after the black
dren were being abused or gested the crash was delib- youngster was photo-
neglected. erate. graphed in tears, hugging
The Hart family's two moms The SUV had stopped at a white police officer dur-
and three of the six ad- a pull-off area then sped ing a 2014 protest in Port-
opted children were found straight off the cliff, Capt. land, Oregon, over the
dead; the three others Greg Baarts of the Califor- deadly police shooting of a
are missing and presumed nia Highway Patrol said. black man in Ferguson, Mis-
dead, possibly washed out Baarts said that as far as he souri. Devonte was holding
to sea. knew, investigators had not a "Free Hugs" sign.
Police said Monday that found a suicide note. Family friend Max Ribner
social service authorities In interviews with friends said he was not ready to
in Oregon contacted the and relatives, "there have believe the crash was in-
West Linn Police Depart- been red flags," the investi- tentional.
ment about the family in gator said. He did not elab- He said the Harts left Alex-
2013 while they were living orate. andria, Minnesota, for Or-
in the area. Days before the wreck egon looking for a change
The questions were referred was discovered, neighbors of weather and pace. He
to the Oregon Department called Washington state said the greater Portland
of Human Services, which child-welfare authorities to area was more accepting
say one of the youngsters of LGBTQ people.
had been coming to their "As much love as they put in
house almost daily asking the world, there were times
for something to eat and when it was challenging for
complaining that his par- them to be a family with six
ents were withholding food kids and hold the energy of
as punishment. what they put out," Ribner
Investigators last week ob- said. "I don't think people
tained a search warrant for realize what it takes to be a
the family's home in Wood- mother, raise six kids, many
land and looked for itiner- of whom came from hard
aries, bank and phone re- backgrounds."q