HARTFORD

Autopsy inconclusive in newborn’s death

Authorities are investigating the death of a newborn boy whose body was found in a yard. The boy had probably been dead for several days, officials said.

Autopsy results released Wednesday showed no signs of trauma or other identifiable cause of death other than apparent neglect at the time of birth, Lyon County officials said.

Brad Manis found the body Monday in his yard, located near Hartford just west of the Coffey County line.

The boy was white, weighed between 7 and 8 pounds and was between 16 and 20 inches tall.

“The lack of care found with the umbilical cord indicated that the child’s birth didn’t occur under medical supervision,” the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

The case has not been ruled a homicide, but Sheriff Gary Eichorn said he expected arrests in the case.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.

School strip search brings early retirement

The teacher who initiated a strip search of 23 third-graders over a missing $5 will be allowed to retire, rather than be fired, the Kansas City school board decided.

Betty Bettis, a third-grade teacher at Pitcher Elementary School, had planned to retire at the end of the year. But she asked to be allowed to leave early after controversy erupted over the strip search.

The board granted her request Tuesday.

The $5 was found but not as a result of the searches.

FORT RILEY

Service to honor soldiers killed in blast

Fort Riley has scheduled a memorial service this afternoon to honor the three soldiers killed during a training accident in California.

The men died early Friday when a 120mm mortar round fired from an armored vehicle exploded prematurely at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, in the desert east of Los Angeles.

The victims were Pvt. Oscar Perez-Jimenez, 19, of West Covina; Sgt. Clifton J. Decklar, 22, of Shelton, Wash.; and Spec. Bobby L. Newton, 27, of New Orleans. Pfc. Jamie Weare of Indianapolis was injured.

Soldiers and senior leadership of the 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor, which is based at Fort Riley, also attended a memorial service Tuesday at Fort Irwin.