Ryan ChartrandThe autopsy report of the deaths of a mother and child found off the San Simeon coast showed that both deaths were the results of drowning. Autopsies were completed in the deaths of Marcia Harrigan, 43, and her daughter Gillian Goldman, 8, of Hermosa Beach, on Jan. 16.
Sheriff’s department detectives, coroner’s investigators and District Attorney investigators determined from the results of the autopsies that the deaths were a murder/suicide. Detectives and investigators concluded that Harrigan drowned her daughter and then committed suicide by drowning herself.
Additionally, toxicology results indicate that Harrigan had a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.03, and no prescription or illegal drugs were found in her system. There was no indication of alcohol or drugs found in Goldman’s results; they were determined to be normal.
Both mother and daughter were found in the ocean off the coast of San Simeon in the morning Jan. 10. The surrounding area where the bodies were found is considered to be a vista point, as the land above the water is rocky and narrow.
Harrigan’s former lawyer, Jeffrey Doeringer, reportedly claimed she was upset because custody of her daughter was turned over to the father by order of the court. Doeringer reportedly said that Harrigan “was very distraught and told me she didn’t think she’d comply with it.”
Harrigan allegedly fled and refused to turn over custody because of allegations that Goldman’s father was sexually abusing her, however, no evidence to support these allegations was found by the court.