Oaklee Snow’s cause of death revealed months after she was found dead in drawer

MORGAN COUNTY, Ind. (TCD) -- The Morgan County Coroner’s Office reportedly determined Oaklee Snow, the Oklahoma toddler who was found dead in a drawer inside a home in Indiana, died from "unspecified means."

WXIN-TV reports the coroner conducted an autopsy on the girl and determined her manner of death was homicide. She died just one month before turning 2 years old.

Oaklee’s mother, Madison Marshall, and Marshall’s boyfriend, Roan Waters, each face several charges, including neglect of a dependent resulting in death. Waters is also being charged with murder.

Oaklee’s father reported her and her brother missing Jan. 19 to law enforcement officials in Cromwell, Oklahoma, and said they were most likely headed to Indianapolis.

According to Waters and Marshall’s probable cause affidavit, the four drove to Indiana and stayed in a "trap house" so Waters and Marshall could do drugs. Waters and Marshall allegedly decided they wanted to abandon Oaklee’s brother at the trap house and Oaklee somewhere else in Indiana.

Waters' sister reportedly picked up the boy from the house and turned him over to officials at Indiana Department of Child Services.

A witness told investigators they saw Marshall and Waters leave the trap house Feb. 9 with "what looked like a child wrapped in a blanket," but the child "did not appear to be moving, talking, or crying."

Waters' sister reportedly called him and asked why they left the boy behind, and he reportedly said Oaklee "had been bouncing on a bouncy ball" and fell, so they needed to take her to the emergency room. The sister contacted local hospitals, but there was no confirmation that Oaklee had been admitted.

Waters and Marshall allegedly told Waters’ sister they "had voluntarily chosen to 'give up'" Oaklee and left her in Indianapolis. The sister believed Oaklee was in "extreme danger."

Marshall told investigators that on Feb. 9, Waters put Oaklee on a bouncy ball even though she was "too small to sit on it by herself." Waters reportedly yelled at her to keep bouncing, but Marshall allegedly told him Oaklee "probably did not understand what he was wanting her to do." He reportedly screamed at Oaklee several times. After the last time, he reportedly yelled to Marshall as he carried an unresponsive Oaklee in his arms.

The affidavit says Waters claimed he "didn’t do anything."

Waters allegedly put her in a bath in an attempt to revive her, then wrapped her in a blanket and put her in his car. Marshall later admitted to officials that she and Waters drove to Martinsville, and Waters reportedly carried Oaklee’s body into a home. He allegedly told Marshall he "either put her inside of or underneath a dresser."

Investigators found Oaklee’s body in the drawer. Oaklee’s hair was reportedly still tied in a ponytail and her leg was "clearly broken at the knee."

Court records show Marshall is being charged with six counts of neglect of a dependent and one count of assisting a criminal, while Waters is being charged with six counts of neglect of a dependent, battery resulting in bodily injury, and murder.

MORE:

• Toddler whose body was found in drawer died from 'unspecified means,' coroner says - WXIN
• Two charged in murder of one-year-old child Oaklee Snow, 4/26/2023 - Marion County Prosecutor's Office
• Affidavit for Probable Cause
• Missing Oklahoma toddler Oaklee Snow found dead, placed in drawer in abandoned Indiana house, 4/26/2023 - TCD
• Missing Oklahoma 2-year-old last seen 'asleep or unconscious' leaving Indiana 'crack house', 3/30/2023 - TCD