Army Says Teen's Fort Lewis Death May Be Drug Related

Feb. 18, 2009— -- The Army said today that the death of a 16-year-old girl found at the Fort Lewis Army barracks in Washington state over the weekend may be drug related, the latest black mark for the Army's third-largest base following a string of serious criminal allegations against its soldiers.

While the Army has refused to release the girl's name, posters on the MySpace page of a teen from nearby Tacoma, Wash., named Leah King, claiming to be King's family members, have identified her as the girl who was found dead.

Amid numerous posts offering condolences on King's MySpace page, a poster using the name Heather writes, "just so everyone knows, we have very few details about what happened to Leah. But what we know, we are not supposed to share just yet."

"There will be a service for Leah, but the date is unclear. ... Thank you all for your thoughts and condolences."

The post, attributed to "Leah's Family," also requests that other family members and friends not make comments to the media.

ABC News cannot independently confirm the claims made on the MySpace page.

The Army's Criminal Investigation Command, which is leading the investigation, said today that the girl's death could be drug related.

Fort Lewis spokesman Joseph Piek told ABCNews.com Tuesday that two 16-year-old girls were found around 3:30 a.m. Sunday in one of the barracks. One was pronounced dead at the scene. The other was hospitalized in stable condition at the nearby Madigan Army Medical Center after receiving "emergency care."

"There was no outward signs of physical trauma to either of the girls," Piek said.

An autopsy was performed on the girl's body Monday by the office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, Piek said, but toxicology tests could take weeks to come back.

"I would hope it would be sooner than that so we can make it known" what happened, he said.

In the "About me" portion of her MySpace page, King had posted a personal statement that read: "I'm Leah. I'm annoying. rude. A bitch. stupid. A slut. A nobody. and any other label there is."

Her relationship status says "single," but local media reports have said she was dating a soldier based at Fort Lewis.

So far, the Army has been tight-lipped about the night's events, saying only that the girls' presence was noticed by the on-duty staff member assigned to that barrack, who immediately called 911.

One soldier, described as being "allegedly acquainted" with the girls, had been questioned by military officials, Piek said, but no arrests have been made and no further information about the soldier is being released.

"From what we understand, there's no military or DOD [Department of Defense] affiliation," Piek said of the girls. "They're not related to anybody or have any affiliation with anybody on post."

Like all Army bases, Fort Lewis keeps close tabs on who enters the property. Anyone with DOD identification, including soldiers and employees, can sponsor a civilian to visit the post so long as that civilian provides a photo ID.

But two former soldiers told ABC News Seattle affiliate KOMO-TV it isn't difficult to sneak visitors onto the base and said the barracks have been known to draw curious young girls.

"It can certainly be attractive, an attractive environment with a bunch of soldiers who are older and have access to alcohol and drugs oftentimes," said Seth Manzel, who spent four years as a soldier, often working guard duty on the base.

Manzel told KOMO that the effects of drugs and alcohol, along with the overwhelming stress of having been deployed to war zones and the mental toll that can take, can make men do things they shouldn't.

"There were times when I walked in on things that were pretty atrocious. At one point a girl got branded. She was a willing participant, but she was very drunk and not in a position to make that decision," he said.

Piek said Army investigators were looking into how the girls involved in Sunday's incident got on base and whether there was any record of their arrival. The Army is not releasing or confirming the girls' names or any identifying information, citing their ages and civilian status.

Piek said they were both from the south Puget Sound area, where Fort Lewis is located.

ABC News Seattle affiliate KOMO reported that Leah had been enrolled at an area high school for her freshman year but dropped out to take online courses in the fall before re-enrolling in the school this month.

The teenager's death was just the latest unsavory headline connected with Fort Lewis and its soldiers.

The last several months have seen a number of Fort Lewis-based military personnel charged with serious, violent crimes, including several incidents of alleged assault, a homicide investigation involving a sergeant at the base and another awaiting trial on charges of kidnapping, torture and rape.

Piek said military officials are well aware of the legal troubles involving soldiers at Fort Lewis.

"That's actually something the command is taking a look at right now," he said.