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3 months later, officials have no updates on Braylen Noble's death investigation

No cause or manner of death has officially been determined.
Credit: WTOL 11

TOLEDO, Ohio — It was three months ago to this day, the search for toddler Braylen Noble turned into a death investigation. There have been no updates from officials regarding his death investigation.

Noble, 3, who was autistic and non-verbal, was missing for nearly a week in early September before police found his body in his apartment complex pool during another search of the area. 

Kim Sortor was the search coordinator for Braylen since Sept. 4 which was the day the toddler disappeared from his third-story unit, located on the 3400 block of Gibraltar Heights Drive at Hunter's Ridge Apartments. 

Braylen's mom, Dajnae Cox, had told WTOL 11 that Braylen was last seen in his bedroom. She was on the back balcony and her mother, Braylen's grandmother, Bobbie, was in the living room.

There was a window open, so the assumption was he had fallen out the window because the screen was pushed in but neither woman saw him actually fall.

RELATED: Lucas County Coroner's Office: Body found is 3-year-old Braylen Noble

"It's a stressful time for everybody in the community that put so much time and effort into searching for Braylen," Sortor said. "It's very discouraging and I just feel like we're not going to get justice for this baby."

The missing child triggered an extensive search by law enforcement and private search parties.

Five days later, his body was found floating face-down in the half-filled complex pool. 

Initial details on the autopsy by the Lucas County Coroner's Office found no obvious signs of trauma and drowning has not been ruled out yet as a cause of death. 

No manner of death has officially been determined.  

There's no time frame for the toxicology results, the conclusion of which, the coroner said at the time, can depend on if there was anything in his system.

"While the death investigation remains ongoing, police cannot charge someone with homicide at this time, when the cause of death is not ruled a homicide. There is no further update at this time," said Lt. Kellie Lenhardt, a spokesperson for the Toledo Police Department. 

A call to the Lucas County Coroner's office and one of Braylen's family members went unanswered Wednesday morning. 

"I have to tell myself often that we have to be patient and have faith that we're going to get justice for Braylen," Sortor said. 

For a full timeline of the search and death investigation, click here.

RELATED: VERIFY: Answering your questions about the Braylen Noble investigation

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