Family is anxious
for answersA lawyer on Maui is hired
to probe why an 18-year-old
cheerleader died
KAANAPALI, Maui >> An attorney hired by the family of the 18-year-old Randolph Township, N.J., cheerleader who died at a West Maui resort said he is investigating the teenager's death, focusing on why she missed curfew and how she was allowed to drink alcohol.
"What has happened is entirely inconsistent with Lauren Crossan as we know her," said Maui attorney James Krueger.
Crossan was one of three Randolph High School seniors selected by the National Cheerleaders Association to be among several hundred cheerleaders performing during halftime at tomorrow's Hula Bowl.
Crossan, who arrived at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa Sunday evening, was traveling with the two Randolph seniors and the mother of one of them. Crossan's nude body was found on the hotel grounds Monday morning after an apparent fall.
A copy of a daily itinerary for the cheerleaders indicated that they were supposed to have a room check at 10:30 p.m. each day.
Police said Crossan did not seem distressed when she called a Randolph friend at 1:30 a.m. Monday to say she was returning to her hotel room and that she was OK.
The seniors and the mother searched for her when she did not return but were unable to find her.
A preliminary autopsy showed Crossan had alcohol in her body. Krueger said his investigation will delve into how an 18-year-old obtained alcohol when the legal drinking age in Hawaii is 21.
Krueger said there was a lack of appropriate supervision of Crossan on Maui, but he does not know who was responsible.
"Clearly, there was a breakdown as far as the first night (Sunday)," he said.
Maui police detectives have classified the death as an accident and believe she fell from a ninth-floor balcony of a hotel room occupied by two California men who had "befriended" her, acting police Lt. Tivoli Faaumu said yesterday at a news conference.
Donald L. Devorss, 19, and Erik B. Larson, 20, both of Folsom, were released Tuesday night after being questioned.
Faaumu said after finding the body near the base of the hotel's Lahaina Tower, detectives began knocking on nearby hotel room doors and eventually arrived at the two men's room on the ninth floor.
He said the two men were cooperative and told police that Crossan had been in the room, but they did not know her whereabouts because they had fallen asleep. Her clothes were found on the floor of the men's room.
Faaumu said nothing has been ruled out in the investigation, but there is no indication of foul play.
A preliminary autopsy by a medical examiner also found no indications of drugs in her body. There also was no evidence of sexual assault.
Larson had told police he had consensual sex with Crossan, but police said yesterday there was no physical evidence of sexual intercourse.
Faaumu said he does not know how much alcohol was in her body.
He said police are waiting for the results of toxicological tests for more details and to make sure that no drugs were in her body, including date rape drugs. Faaumu estimated the wait may take one to two weeks.
Hula Bowl owner Dick Schaller said organizers of the game are planning something to honor Crossan tomorrow -- perhaps a moment of silence or a prayer.
Crossan's wake service in Randolph is scheduled for Sunday, followed by a funeral on Monday, according to the Newark Star-Ledger of New Jersey.