Cause of Death Still Unknown For Mom of Toddler Who Survived for Days on Her Own

EAST HARTFORD, CT — The office of the chief medical examiner is still trying to figure out a cause of death for the mother of a toddler who survived on her own for days after her mother died.

Just how 37-year-old Twanna Toler died is "pending further study," according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on Friday, meaning more tests have to be run.

The 3-year-old girl found food in the cabinets of their 44 Silver Lane apartment after Toler died mysteriously, police said.

A social worker discovered the scene at 1:20 p.m. on Monday while checking on the East Hartford residence after the child was reported absent from day care for several days, police said.

The child was then taken to Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford, police said. Representatives from the state Department of Children and Families went to the hospital to arrange a safe place for the child to stay, police said.

There are were visible signs of forced entry at the apartment, nor are there any other criminal elements being considered in the case, according to East Hartford police spokesman Lt. Joshua Litwin.

The child was "slightly dehydrated" but otherwise seemed physically OK, Litwin said. The woman had been dead for several days, he said. The social worker persuaded the child to open the door to the apartment and was told by the child that "mommy is sleeping," Litwin said.

The social worker than discovered the woman's body and called police, Litwin said.

It appeared the child found food on her own, because cereal boxes were discovered open in the kitchen, he said.

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