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Preliminary tests inconclusive in teen's death

A CAT scan performed on the body of a 17-year old Lansford girl, found late Tuesday in a rugged area of Schuylkill Township, offered few clues as to what befell her.

Schuylkill County coroner Dr. David J. Moylan said Wednesday that the “virtual autopsy” of Cassidy R. Derr failed to produce enough information to allow him to determine the cause or manner of her death.The scan was performed at Moylan’s Simon Kramer Institute, New Philadelphia.“An open autopsy will be performed (Thursday) morning by Forensic Pathology Associates, Allentown,” Moylan said.The autopsy will include a toxicology screen.State police at Frackville are investigating the circumstances surrounding Cassidy’s death.Cassidy, who had Type 1 diabetes and wore a pump to deliver the hormone in measured doses, was last seen on Saturday, before leaving for a party in the woods on Locust Mountain, between Tuscarora and Brockton, according to police.They said Cassidy walked away from the party and headed to Tamaqua after an argument in the early hours of Sunday morning.She kept in touch with other friends, via Snapchat and text, finally admitting she was lost somewhere along old Route 209. That last message was sent at 7:51 a.m. Sunday.Her family reached out via Facebook and other social media on Sunday. When she still hadn’t turned up by Monday morning, when she was to have started her first class at Panther Valley High School,a search was launched.Late Monday afternoon, the North East Search and Rescue group had five dog teams staging at the Tuscarora ball fields, asking Cassidy’s family and friends to suspend their own searches to avoid confusing the K-9s.While state police were searching by air, the dog teams moved out. The dogs picked up the teen’s trail, leading handlers to a jacket with her scent on it, which was found in the Newkirk area. Then the trail went cold.The dogs picked up her scent Tuesday night and located the body.Also searching were members of the Tuscarora Fire Company, who used four-wheelers to cover the utility line area and mine roads, while Schuylkill County Emergency Management Coordinator John Matz provided detailed maps of the area.Cassidy’s family had recently moved to Lansford from Tamaqua, where Cassidy had attended Tamaqua Area High School before being home-schooled.