Woman waits months for answers after remains that could be daughter's found in Flagler County

The weight of the unknown has been weighing on Volusia County resident Debra Ciehanoski for six years.

“I want my daughter. I want her,” she said.

Ciehanoski’s daughter, Mandy, disappeared in 2011.

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He took deputies to an area where he said he buried Mandy's body, but nothing was found.

“I know in my heart that that’s my baby,” said Ciehanoski.

Deputies stressed they still do not know the gender or identity of those remains.

The mother said she expected to know something by now.

“I was told it takes anywhere from two weeks to three months,” said Ciehanoski.

But it’s been four months without answers.

The remains were sent to a teaching institution to be identified.

A Flagler County spokesperson admitted it’s taking longer to get answers than first expected.

“I can’t understand how they can so something like that,” said Ciehanoski.

Even if the remains aren’t her daughter’s, Ciehanoski wants an answer soon.

“It’s still someone’s child or husband, or wife or daughter,” she said.

A spokesperson for the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said the results should be in by May.

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate a case of human remains that were discovered last year before Sheriff Rick Staly took office.  At present, we have not received any information from the Medical Examiner’s Office regarding the identity of those remains.  It is important to remember that when unidentifiable remains are discovered, that those remains are often in a state of decomposition making more traditional forms of identification, i.e. fingerprints, dental records and DNA impractical.  The Medical Examiner’s Office will then turn to experts in the field of anthropology for their assistance which often takes a considerable period of time.  Each year there are hundreds if not thousands of cases nationwide where unidentifiable remains are discovered and with each case there is often a family wondering if the remains are those of their loved one and at the same time praying that it is not. In the end you can’t rush the process.  One-hundred percent accuracy is a must.

Cox Media Group