Baker, Healey Weigh In On Hopkinton Teen Death Investigation

BOSTON — For the first time, Gov. Charlie Baker and weighed in on the investigation into the death of Hopkinton teen Mikayla Miller, saying he would support an independent investigation placed in Attorney General Maura Healey's hands.

"The whole story associated with this is just a terrible tragedy on so many levels," he said Thursday on GBH News' Boston Public Radio. "I certainly support getting to the bottom of it."

In response, Healey said in an email to Patch she's keeping tabs on the case.

“The death of Mikayla Miller is devastating and her family and community deserve answers as to what happened," Healey said in an emailed statement. "DA Ryan and her team are experienced prosecutors who have an active investigation and we need to let that proceed. My office will continue to closely monitor this case as it moves forward."

A state medical examiner has said Miller —who was found suspended by a belt from a tree in the woods along a path April 18— died by suicide. But activists and her mother have rejected that determination. They say there are too many unanswered questions about Miller's death to reach a conclusion yet.

Miller's death became a focus in recent weeks after the girl's mother, Calvina Strothers, and activists questioned whether law enforcement was handling the case correctly. She said police came to her door within hours of finding her daughter and told her she had killed herself. But that came less than 24 hours after she called police to report her daughter had been beaten by four teens she knew. An outcry prompted Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan to release new details about the case.

Baker defended Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan's integrity, but also said he would support Healey's office taking over the investigation if necessary.

"Look, I would support whatever it takes to get to the bottom of this and give a grieving family confidence that their daughter's life has been treated with the grace and kindness and respect that it deserves," he said. "If that's where people think we need to go, then yeah, I would support that."

Although the family and activists have been calling for the FBI to take over the case, under the law, the only body that has the authority to pursue a separate investigation or take the investigation from the district attorney is Healey, Baker said.

The group Violence In Boston, led by activist Monica Cannon-Grant, brought wider publicity to the case, and hosted a large rally in Hopkinton on May 6. The organization announced Wednesday that prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has also represented the families of George Floyd and Trayvon Martin is now representing Strothers.

Crump said Wednesday an independent autopsy had been finished and the results would be released shortly.

Both Hopkinton police and Ryan have said the case is still under investigation.

Activists are planning to rally Friday outside Ryan's Lowell office, according to a Facebook event page.

- Staff reporter Neal McNamara contributed to this report.