Washington mother sought in 2-year-old's death; father not a suspect

CANNON BEACH, Oregon -- Police are searching for a Washington woman after a 2-year-old girl was found dead in an Oregon hotel room.

Jessica Smith of Goldendale, WA was sought in connection to the discover of a dead baby and a badly injured child in a Cannon Beach hotel.



A severely injured 13-year-old girl was also found in the room at the Surfsand Resort around 9:40 a.m. Friday, KPTV reported.

She was so badly hurt that she could not help investigators.

“We weren’t able to get answers about everything -- she had oxygen on,” Cannon Beach Police Chief Jason Schermerhorn said in a news conference.

Investigators said the children's father has been ruled out as a suspect. A friend told the father police wanted to get in touch with him, and officers contacted him on the highway, KOIN reported. He is cooperating with the investigation.

Officers put out an alert Friday that they were searching for a Chevy Suburban driven by the children's mother Jessica Smith, 40, of Goldendale, Washington.

Police described Smith as a person of interest in the investigation -- not a suspect, according to KPTV. Investigators want to find her and make sure she is OK.

The SUV is a gold 2007 Chevy Suburban with Washington license plates APX3141. If you have any information, call police.

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