CONCORD, N.H. – New Hampshire authorities on Thursday made another plea for the public’s help with any information related to the death of an 11-year-old girl as they set up a reward fund for people who want to donate money to help solve the case.

The Attorney General’s Office said $5,000 initially offered last month by an anonymous donor in northern New Hampshire has started up the fund. The reward will be offered for any information leading to the arrest and prosecution of anyone involved in the death of Celina Cass of Stewartstown.

Celina was last seen alive at her house July 25. Her body was recovered from the Connecticut River about a quarter-mile from her home near the Canadian border a week later. An autopsy failed to pinpoint the cause and manner of her death and investigators hope to have the results of toxicology tests in the next week or two.

“We are asking the public if they want to donate – because we’ve had a number of calls for donations – that they can donate to that account,” said Senior Assistant Attorney General Jane Young. She said calls offering donations have come from as far away as New Mexico.

The reward fund, set up at the Northway Bank in Gorham, will supplement a $25,000 reward offered by the FBI before the girl’s body was found.

“We are still asking the public for any help – anything they may have seen or heard – during July 25, July 26, or the days thereafter,” Young said. “We’re asking for this information because as we have told you previously, any piece of information could be the piece of the puzzle that we need to solve this tragedy of Celina’s death. We are still treating this as a suspicious death. This remains an ongoing and active investigation but at this point, no arrests have been made. “

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She added that “we want what people saw, heard, touched, from their own perception, and not from what they read in the papers.”

Watching the news conference was Neal Morissette, who runs New Hampshire Compliance Depot in Manchester, which helps start-up businesses. He said he had followed the case for a while and wanted to contribute some money, but wasn’t sure how to go about it. “I was like, Wow!” he said when heard of the fund.

Young said to date, more than 580 tips have been received and followed through. She said at least a dozen police officers remain active on investigation, the FBI is still a “critical partner,” and Vermont authorities continue to help. She said her office has been in discussion with other agencies to help with a forensic investigation.

 


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