Spreckel Mansion Death/Suicide

[Regi]

Link to audio interview of Max's aunt, Nina Romano, his mother's fraternal twin sister.

http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/kfmb/misc/nina_romano.mp3

[Vincennes]

Good Lord this woman sounds totally truthful. My only thought is that I worked in a juvenile facility for 10 years everyone there had to be qualified in CPR I would remember to clear the airway - but other than that ---- What makes it seem that Rebecca gave correct CPR tried - I would just be running around in a circle - maybe doing breaths - (correctly...? prob no ) and I have been certified every year for 10 years - but in life or death - look for me out there screaming for help ---- Would an ambulance driver responded if I had given CPR & he responded so, I wold doubt it ..... I never said I was a nurse....but I did have CPR qualificastionfor 10 yrs. could I perform it here as Rebecca seems to have been expected to - NO

Great clip Thanks, Regi and I feel the truth is there somewhere !

[Regi]

You're welcome.

You know, that interview didn't have to be nearly so long, but that guy conducting the interview was almost unbearably annoying as several times, he asked her to go over things she'd already thoroughly explained!

And yes, absolutely. Romano struck me as entirely credible (and very patient with that interviewer!)

Re: what you said about behavior in a crisis...

I don't think anyone can predict how they will react in a crisis. They can say how they think they might, or how they would like to, but until they've experienced it, they couldn't know.

However, that's beside the point.

The point is that Rebecca (apparently) said that she performed CPR.

Her sister, Mary, stated in an interview that she did, but the EMS report stated that CPR was not performed.

According to Max's aunt, the 9-1-1 call offers no indication that CPR was even attempted.

[Antilles]

Thanks DM and regi for all the links.

I'll just add my 2 cents worth about the CPR at the moment.

The EMS report stated that no CPR had been attempted.

Hard to say. Maybe she did try but didn't really know what she was doing and is was ineffective. Maybe she did try but was so panic stricken she didn't give CPR well enough to help the child.

Hard one to call but you have 2 women saying that CPR had been performed and the report saying it hadn't.

[Regi]

You know, Antilles, I really don't know what to make of the EMS report stating that CPR wasn't performed.

It seems clear that if it was attempted, it wasn't successful.

On the third day of hospitalization, the neurologist stated that the severity of brain damage indicated that the brain did not receive oxygen, and I take that to mean in a timely manner.

What's strange about that is Zahau stated that Max actually uttered a word...of all words, Ocean. So apparently, he was conscious to speak immediately following the injury, but upon arrival of EMS, Max presented no breathing, no pulse, and dilated pupils.

The 9-1-1 operator (according to the aunt) was never able to establish whether Max was breathing or not.

Indeed, very strange information from that scene.

[Vincennes]

Now, I'm going to have to go back and listen again to the aunt - However, I just don't feel the CPR thing is of importance - Due to the probable hysteria of the moment and what the actual nature of the injuries were possibly to his neck, brain, etc. Even if CPR was done it might not have been effective and perhaps that's what the ambulance driver meant - That breathing was not re-established so he considered CPR as not really having been accomplished - (Maybe ????) Do we know what Max's injuries actually were? Concussion - broken neck?

I don't have any medical knowledge on what happens if the brain is not being supplied with oxygen but could there have been enough left before the process took over that Max got the word out "Ocean" If that is the dog's name could he have been trying to say he tripped over the dog? I think their dog was a smaller one and I know I trip over mine all the time. Perhaps if his neck was broken trying to move him into a position CPR was possible severed what supply of oxygen he did have left and that's why he was able to get one word out and then nothing.

Edited December 28, 2012 by Duncansmom

[Regi]

The point is that she could have lied about both...about Max having said "Ocean", and about the CPR.

From an investigative standpoint, what makes them important is whether or not she lied.

[Vincennes]

I did go back over some things and I do notice something that seems a little off - On the description of the scene portion of the Report Achilles posted re Rebecca. They start by a brief description of the guest house as being two bedroom. "One bedroom with a suitcase in it" Then it switches to what seems to be the - other - bedroonm of the guest house and that it's bed is unmade ..... and contains several articles of woman's clothing, make remover towelette.... etc. and a glass of clear fluid on the nightstand... It seems like the switch talking about the guest house and go on to what I am assuming is Rebecca's room in the main house all in one swoop with no distinction being made of the location. It ends up reading like the room in the guest house assigned to the brother in law had not been slept in... with the other room containing woman's clothing.....

That seems like quite an oversite not to specificaally indicate which room in which location they are describing ...... Has something been cut out of the document ??????

Yes, Regi, I agree totally, you are right, after rereading, the point does seem she lied ....

Edited December 28, 2012 by Duncansmom

[Vincennes]

Achilles, I don't know where you found those reports. They add a alot. However, I was wondering if you might be able to find another from a "Dr. Lucas" Rebecca's report mentions the other gives a more total scene description of the room she is to have jumped from. My specific question is, where is the rest of the tape she was bound with? Now here I am assuming it was orange tape which is the first way it is referred to because later in the report it says that they found she could have removed her hands from the "rope" she was bound with and then reinserted behind her back. Orange tape or orange rope ? Where is the rest? Where are the scissors she certainly would have needed to assemble this self-administered binding. Where was she when she assembled it? In the bedroom or on the balcony itself. The report says there is only one or two sets of her footprints on the "dirty" balcony floor. I don't mean to be irreverent but if she bound her legs in the bedroom did she then hop out to the balcony doing it in one hop so there is only one set of prints ..... or did she manage to bind her legs up while on the balcony and while doing so managed to do it without moving her feet round in the "dirt" .... then there would be some remnants scissors, tape,( or even an emply roll for the tape providing she used it all) that would be left on the balcony itself..... I know when I work with duct tape it never comes out that exact - and doing so while being upset enough to commit suicide ?? I would have ended up with my hair and one hand taped to the bed inside the room..

[Regi]

Duncansmom, there's lots of info. at this link, including a doc. containing info from Dr. Lucas.

http://www.sdsheriff.net/coronado/index.html

[Vincennes]

www.autopsyfiles.org/reports/Other/shacknai,%20max...

Thanks Regi, I did go over and read that entire site. I do see that it includes knives of the floor of the bedroom that could have been used to cut the rope (rather than tape as was initially reported her binding...) and also what looks like a plastic garbage bag. However, I couldn't find any mention of what, if anything, was in the bagor what prints were on it. One of the reports mentioned that they found tape-like residue half way up her calf. That's a question. Did she try binding herself with tape first? Then, finding it not working for some reason take it off, where is it. I don't run around during the day with tape residue on my legs.

I will go back to my earlier post's questions though because for some reason they are very specific regarding the footprints on the balcony. They even say in the report she bound herself in the bedroom - I would presume on the bed or on the floor and ended up with one set of prints on the balcony - A hop while bound ? If not a hop, then she would have to position the feet while on the balcony and that would end up with more than one set of prints. You would be balancing and moving around to do that.

I did get to Max's autopsy report. Although it is a PDF file and I had trouble opening in and copying the link here. It gives A LOT more detail regarding the CPR statements that were initially made. (You were right, right, right. There is a lie here for sure!)The autopsy gives more details of the CPR ????

[Vincennes]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2185207/Max-Shacknai-mansion-death-New-report-says-boy-6-murdered.html

This article is interesting and I keep doing double posts here because I'm having trouble getting the links copied.

I did'nt realize until the last link you posted Regi, that Jonah S. has also requested a reexamination of the events and was also refused.

[Vincennes]

Okay, now I have been doing this all day Achilles, and Regi, forgive me my third post but please please listen to this:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/websleuths/2011/11/21/baby-lisa-irwin-rebecca-zahau-dr-cyril-wecht

Sorry, I've just been reading and finding all day

[Vincennes]

Okay, now I have been doing this all day Achilles, and Regi, forgive me my third post but please please listen to this:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/websleuths/2011/11/21/baby-lisa-irwin-rebecca-zahau-dr-cyril-wecht

Sorry, I've just been reading and finding all day

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/websleuths/2011/11/21/baby-lisa-irwin-rebecca-zahau-dr-cyril-wecht

[Antilles]

I'm gonna have another chat about the CPR because I think it's important. I'm certain that the boy's death is the catalyst for Zahau's death. 2 days after he dies, she dies. I don't believe in coincidence.

The child apparently regains consciousness long enough to say 'ocean' and that's it. But according to the doctor, he hadn't had any O2 to his brain for a long time. I find the 'ocean' interesting. He didn't say that in front of the paramedics (correct me if I'm wrong) so we only have the 2 women's word for that. I am trained for CPR and I do my yearly updates so I'm finding this aspect a bit strange. If a patient regains consciousness you put them in the recovery position and for the child to wake up enough to speak that means that mouth to mouth must have been given as well as chest compressions. But the EMS and the doctor discount this.

See, the child's death can go either way - it can account for suicide and it could account for murder.

If you want the larger images, check out the link above.

And about his death. He was what? 7? He doesn't look to be that big of a kid. That's a hell of a lot of damage for that kid to have done. And trying to ride a skateboard down those banisters? Maybe he did, I wasn't there but it just seems a bit fishy to me.

[Regi]

please please listen to this:

http://www.blogtalkr...-dr-cyril-wecht

I listened, and I'm not impressed.

In my opinion, Wecht appears to have gone the way of Spitz and to me, he made many, many comments I found inappropriate. He admitted there was information he hadn't reviewed because he apparently wasn't provided with it, and he had questions of his own regarding pertinent information.

Overall, I found his entire approach unprofessional.

I heard many questions about this, that, and the other, but heard nothing of a plausible scenario supporting homicide.

The uncle staying in the guesthouse was mentioned (and I don't recall if this is documented anywhere else and to me it doesn't really matter) but during his polygraph session, it was revealed that he'd viewed porn on his phone shortly before finding Zahau hanging.

My take on that is if that's what he told authorities, then he was forthcoming. I see no other conclusion.

(BTW, have I ever mentioned how sick to death I am about a polygraph being referred to as a "lie detector"? Please get with it, people! There's no such thing, and to others who know better, you don't come across as particularly knowledgeable and/or professional when you refer to it that way.)

I don't have any other comments about that radio show except that if it was homicide, then all those questions put together should paint another picture... and they don't.

Edited December 29, 2012 by regi

[Vincennes]

I think the autopsy report on Max gives some interesting information regarding the CPR It seems there was alot more said about it at the time than just "yes CPR was started" I thought maybe she had come up with that because she realized after the paramedics asked her if it was started she realized that she should have and tried to make it sound like she was proactive. Yet when the first responders described the scene he indicated Rebecca was holding Max, crying and screaming his name. Well that doesn't sound like CPR to me. If she had started it, why did she stop? I also agree if the child did say the word "Ocean" What made her go to CPR and not a Recovery Position.

I disagree, however, regarding Dr. Wecht. I don't think his role was to set every thing up for a possible homicide. I see his role as just going over the body again and determining if the wounds were consistent with the suicide scenario. Just that. He did found threeor four wounds on the top of her head that were not consistent with the suicide description. Unless the rope acted as a bungi cord those wounds are unexplained. He also stated they were significant enough to have caused possible unconsciousness prior to her death.

I also read along the way that the brotherinlaw was looking at porn soon after arrival and I did find another description of the guest house that indicated there was female clothing in one of the rooms. A pair of panties in trash that was never even collected by the police.

Again, why tape residue on her calf with no tape present. She was going for a tidy suicide and disposed of it ? What was in the plastic bag - empty? Its not addressed.

Blood is another question. There were a few drops in the bathroom and a few on balcony and again on her legs as she was found hanging. The police stated they believed it was menses. No blood in the bedroom on the floor or bed where she tied herself up while naked?

Edited December 29, 2012 by Duncansmom

[Regi]

Re: Wecht, my comments had nothing to do with his "role", but that he was ill-informed, and I didn't care for his accusations, especially in view of that fact that he admitted that he hadn't reviewed all the circumstances/information of the death.

I think he was over-stepping.

Re: other injuries, he offered his opinion based on his impressions, and the info. he did have to go on.

According to info at one of those links I provided, the panties were collected- as everything considered even possibly associated- but they weren't tested, and the reason offered was that the body itself was examined and there was no evidence of assault, and also, there was another explanation for the other items collected from that guest bedroom.

Re: the brother-in-law's porn viewing, what does that have to do with anything?

Re: what appeared to be tape residue, those are relatively small measurements. If I wrote them correctly... left shin: 1 x 5/8, and 1/4x3/8. Lateral distal right lower leg: 1 1/4 x 5/8, and 3/16 x 5/16.

I don't make anything out of it.

Re: the bag, I'm sure investigators have formed an impression about why it was (or likely why it was) present.

Re: spots of blood, it was Zahau's, and I'm not aware of any associated injuries.

Since you found the aunt very credible- and there's no doubt that her movements were easily verified- don't you wonder why Zahau never responded to her, yet did respond to her own sister?

My immediate question- actually, the only question I can think of- has to do with Max's case, and whether or not the sister who was also in the house ever gave a statement.

Edited December 29, 2012 by regi

[Regi]

And about his death. He was what? 7? He doesn't look to be that big of a kid. That's a hell of a lot of damage for that kid to have done. And trying to ride a skateboard down those banisters? Maybe he did, I wasn't there but it just seems a bit fishy to me.

Antilles, I saw it on the EMS report that Max had turned six a month previous.

Also, there was no skateboard... it was a scooter.

Re: the scooter, I have a problem with the notion that it went over the railing....WITH Max.

That strikes me as very odd.

[Vincennes]

I'm sorry you are all giving your age up or lack of grand kids that age - It is a "Razor" Skateboard.... That is a speciific design of skateboard but it is still a skateboard it it not a "Scooter" Are you thinking the kid is accused of trying to stand up and ride a "Skooter" down the banister railing... No... A Razor skateboard could be turned to the side and Max might have envisioned the two wheels still in position which would have given him a board width to ride down on the stairway...

And sorry Regi... Dr. Wecht's role is medical, he is not a detective... And he was going from the first autopsy. If the information is not on the first autopsy then that is a part of the problem or at least identifies areas of injury that still need to be examined. That is what he was there to seek out.

The plastic bag that goes all but unmentioned... I'm sure that was fine too.

I have also brought up the tape residue on Rebecca's calf several time: however

"Re: what appeared to be tape residue, those are relatively small measurements. If I wrote them correctly... left shin: 1 x 5/8, and 1/4x3/8. Lateral distal right lower leg: 1 1/4 x 5/8, and 3/16 x 5/16."

"I don't make anything out of it.""

I don't make anything out of it.

Okie dokie, Case closed why are we reading this ??? Just a minute let me go peel the tape residue off my calf and I will be right with you.

I don't make anything out of it.

You all be good now.

Edited December 30, 2012 by Duncansmom

[Regi]

Duncansmom, you've asked for opinions and I gave you mine, and you don't seem to understand why I've said the things I have.

I've seen the "riding toy" and in my book, it's a scooter because it has handlebars which to me, differentiates it from a skateboard.

Maybe I'm old school- I don't know- but whatever you want to call the thing, it's bottom heavy (even though it's a "Razor"...a "state of the art design", it's still bottom heavy) and the hallway had thick carpeting and the Razor has little wheels.

I Just don't see Max going over the railing with the scooter. I don't see that happening and that's just my take on it. It doesn't mean it didn't happen...I just don't see it happening. What more can I say about it?

Another problem I have is that there's nicks in the rail and paint chips on the carpeting below- which of course, indicate that that's precisely what did happen.

Since that evidence is there, then that HAS to be what happened, right?????

(BTW, why was the scooter on the second floor anyway, and especially if there was a problem with him riding it there?

Have you ever been curious enough to have wondered that?)

Rebecca said she found Max unresponsive, but that he regained consciousness long enough to whisper "Ocean".

If that sits well with you, then what can I say? It doesn't sit well with me, so end of story there, too.

I know who Dr. Wecht is and what he does, and why he was obtained by Zahau's family, but he said on the radio show that he didn't have all the information and he asked questions- the answers of which he needed for an informed opinion.

Re: the scalp hemorrhages (in the autopsy report, all described as on the "right", to say on the "top" offers an entirely wrong impression), he said this was possible, or that was possible. He noted a lack of this or that re: the neck injuries...but the bottom line is that- according to what he said, he would have determined the death "undetermined".

To me, that's not taking into account the ALL the circumstances of death.

Our approach is completely different. I saw that early on.

You look to the plastic bag and find it suspicious because you don't know why it was there. Well, just because YOU don't know, doesn't mean that it actually is suspicious.

Re: the tape residue, I just don't find it suspicious. In fact, her own sister had stitches the very day of the incident involving Max from apparently cleaning up the chandelier.

(When the investigator was collecting evidence from that incident, pieces of the chandelier were retrieved from in the garbage.)

The thing is, there's no evidence to suggest anything sinister about that apparent tape residue. You'll have to explain to me what's suspicious about it.

You said that the brother-in-law (he actually wasn't a brother-in-law because Zahau wasn't married to his brother) was looking at porn. You never explained to me what was suspicious about that.

You questioned blood drops that the police said were menses. Well, the police were going off the autopsy report which stated that there was "blood within the vagina and around the cervix. but no visible trauma."

You're ignoring a sound explanation, and insist on finding some other sinister explanation which doesn't exist.

Yeah, okie dokie seems to surfice.

Edited December 30, 2012 by regi

[Vincennes]

I'm sorry, although we do differ on a couple of issues, I don't seem to have clearly explained myself. None of it "sits well with me" either, I just like to look at the possibles and then dismiss.

I did think it possible the kid went to go down the railing using a scooter/skateboard or whatever and fell over.... but you know since last night one other thing came to me that I would have to dispute that happening. I remember clearly going down my grandmother's banister. She was not fond of it but we never really got into any "trouble" just "stop that." Her stairway, although not as grand as the one Max had, did turn as it went up in exactly the same way.... What came to me last night is that you didn't start at the top, second floor of the railing. If you look at the length proportions, as I am sure Max would have done, from the second floor to the turn is actually not only high but it is a pretty short distance for the ride. We always started after the turn from the landing.... That gives you a longer "ride." The sections are not equal. So to me now, if I explain my thoughts any kid would realize this. You start at the turn landing. He might have fallen from there true but from there I don't see how he would have gone into the chandelier. He would have been under it even at the top of the slide.

Now, as for him muttering "Ocean" It doesn't sit well with me either especially in view of the fact that she was lying regarding the CPR but I don't know how long it takes the brain to die when deprived of oxygen. As I said I have a small dog and trip over him all the time. If Max had time for one word... and that is a big if.... could he have been running toward the stairs, and was trying to say the dog tripped him....& I mean that is just an IF

I do see the tape as a bigger issue. There no indication there is a cut or abrasion on the calf... It is a clear enough residue that they were able to measure it... Another IF for me... If someone tried to bind her with tape and then saw it was not working they went to binding her with a rope... Just IF

My question regarding the plastic bag is, "Why isn't it mentioned in the report. According to the photos,it was on top of at least a portion of the knife handles... My question with it is "why isn't it addressed clearly in the police report?" It just seems to me to be lack of throughness on the part of police.

I am not ignoring the police explaination of menses. My question regarding the blood is that, if she was bleeding so heavily she was dropping blood on the floor of the bath and balcony yet she obviously had to sit at least for a minute to bind herself so totally and nothing in the bedroom? Doesn't make sense to me. Could it be she was unconscious and lying in a prone position? Then when she was raised to a vertical angle to go over the balcony the bleeding commensed to flow?

The head injuries: Either on right side or top.. I don't see a big difference. I believe Dr. Wecht said he maybe even could understand one but three or four? and these wounds indicate a rounded instrument. If she went over the balcony vertically she might have even impacted her head once... but three times? And rounded indicates it could not have been the balcony or balcony railing which they said was pretty jagged. Also, if you look at her distance from the balcony.. she was hanging down pretty low only about 2 to 3 ft. from the ground.... How did she hit her head three times? To me, only a bungi cord would have produced that effect. So if remains to my an another big IF

Lastly, I read around sites last night and came across the theory that Max's injuries could stem from a beating and that he could have been thrown over railing. I believe that theory is touched on in the the 2nd autopy Max's mother had done. The question is then asked, could Rebecca have seen what happened, was afraid to tell it which is why she was so extremely evasive when the aunt arrived. In that light I did find one site that talked about Jonah having some odd business dealings during that time that showed some distress. He sold a good deal of stock and put another amount in a trust for the children? I'm not there, I just saw that theory raised.

Another thing I just came across this morning is that as of this Sept. 2012... The police Md. refused to turn over Max's autopsy pictures to his mother, she had filed a law suit to get them. She was not requesting any financial award simply her son's autopsy photos, Now I do find that one bizarre o the part of the police. Dr. Wecht: Undetermined death ... I still think that he is correct in asking for that change. All three of the parties involved, Rebecca's parents, Max's mother and Jonah have asked that this investigation be reopened. To do so requires the label of suicide be changed. Undetermined is the first step in at least allowing more investigation.

Edited December 30, 2012 by Duncansmom

[Antilles]

DM, you did start this thread and you asked for people's opinions. I'm not sure what to make of your okie dokie reply. Either you want to discuss it or you don't and if you don't want to discuss the case with me, then that's fine too. Maybe I am just too old to appreciate your difference between a scooter and a skateboard. Either way, the damn thing wasn't gonna go down those bannisters no matter how the child lay on it. And if he's lying on it on the top banister, I just don't see how he could manage enough force to reach out and grab the chandelier. If he was going perpendicular to the chandelier as he went down the banister he would have gone straight down. If you look at the reconstruction photos, he's taken a flying jump off the top flight, far enough out to grab the chandelier. Whatever happened, his death is the catalyst for Zahau's death 2 days later.

[Vincennes]

I totally agree with what you have said regarding the bannister. All I have been trying to do is bring up possibilities... not that I actually agree with any of them. I did go back and count the steps. Like my grandmother's banister. I get 7 (one you can't see I think) and 11 from the landing to the first floor. If you start at the top you get the post at the turn in your back. From the landing you have that frolicking turn for a dismount....... And starting at the landing puts you under the chandelier.

I also don't think much of that picture/drawing of the figure going over. For one thing there are no heights indicated. As Regi said once, this looks like a pretty small kid. If he were just running, tripped over the dog or the skateboard to me it would seem you would have to know heights before you could assume he went over that way and it makes me wonder why whoever drew that didn't add those facts.

My question about the plastic bag still stands. I think it is strange it wasn't addressed in the police reports. It's numbered. Regi doesn't feel this has significance. I think the things that aren't addressed remain questions. Antilles, what do you think?

I was also pondering the things that are not addressed and answered and I came up with, "Why is the painted message blocked out of the report." I did find that was Rebecca's ex-husband when interviewed who supposedly had been shown the message and he is the one that indicated it said something like, She saved you, Now can you save her?" If that is the quote and there wasn't anyone's name in it, why is it blocked out? The exhusband did go on to say it did not look like any writing of Rebecca's he ever seen her use. It was a block form of printing. Is it somekind of standard police practice to block messages out?

Edited December 31, 2012 by Duncansmom

[Regi]

I agree with your observations in your above post, Antilles.

Have you seen the photo of the damage to the banister? I don't recall where I saw it, but I'll try to find it if you haven't.

I don't know if there was damage to any other area of the banister, but what I saw consisted of gouges and chips, and they were located on the second floor railing which runs parallel to the landing that's between the two floors. The damage was on the HALLWAY side on the corner post and on the hallway side top side edge of the railing. So obviously, that indicates that that's where the bulk of the scooter made impact with the banister.

Now, I don't have reason to doubt that it was the scooter that caused that damage, but it has to be explained to me WHY the scooter made that kind of impact- that is, how that could be possible- and at that location.

From a responding officer Erhard's report: (I'll try to find links for this, and the information which follows.

..."A 'Razor' type scooter with the rear wheel and rear one third portion of the footplate lying across his lower right shin... Zahau "found Max unresponsive but was later not sure if he had been lying on his back or if she turned him over. She heard Max say the dog's name 'Ocean'. He became unresponsive. She gave a few rescue breaths and yelled for Xena who then called 9-1-1 at 1010 hours...arrived on scene at 1012 hours."

From Rady Children's Hospital medical records..."CPR was reportedly started by Max's father's girlfriend. Upon paramedics arrival, CPR was continued."

From investigator's report: Dr. Brad Peterson, head of the ICU Trauma informed that over the course of four days of medical testing, no determination could be made on the cause of the cardiac arrest suffered by Shacknai.

Based on the description of the incident surrounding Shacknai's fall, Dr. Peterson did not feel the visible injuries were consistent with the cardiac arrest and brain swelling experienced by Shacknai. Dr. Peterson expressed concerns made based on the above factors, suffocation may have occurred prior to Shacknai's fall."

More than anything, (to me) the fact that that doctor could and did express such an opinion demonstrates how unlikely it was that Max could have been capable of speaking, much less in a manner with apparent comprehension.

According to Max's aunt, the ME expressed the same opinion.

According call logs, Zahau received a call July 12 from Coronado police det. Thomas Atkins, who was investigating Max Shacknai's fall.

http://www.760kfmb.com/story/15538406/family-releases-200-pages-of-zahau-phone-records