Crime & Safety

UPDATE: Homicide Victim Was Sixth-Grader at Gaithersburg Middle

No arrests made; medical examiner attributes death of Jessica Nguyen, 12, to upper-body trauma.

UPDATE 4:40 p.m. June 1 -- Her death now ruled a homicide, Montgomery County Police have identified the 12-year-old girl found in her home last night as Jessica Nguyen, a sixth-grader at Gaithersburg Middle School.

Officers found Nguyen dead shortly after 7:30 p.m. at her family home in the 700 block of Raven Avenue, in the Glen at Hidden Creek community. The state medical examiner’s office in Baltimore ruled her death a homicide today after an autopsy revealed "trauma to her upper body."

Police declined to comment on possible suspects, what kind of weapon may have been used or who was at the home when officers arrived last night.

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Grief counselors and child psychologists were helping Nguyen’s former classmates at Gaithersburg Middle School deal with the aftermath, and a letter went home with students today, said MCPS spokesman Dana Tofig.

Anyone who has information about Nguyen’s death is asked to call the Montgomery County Police-Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5070. Callers may remain anonymous by calling Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477) or 240-773-TIPS (8477). Crime Solvers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest and/or indictment. Anonymous tips can also be sent by typing "MCPD" plus the information on a cell phone and texting it to 274637 (CRIMES).

Find out what's happening in Gaithersburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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