PREVIOUSLY: 

• CHP Suspects ‘Felony was Committed’ During Tragic Mendo Coast Crash That Killed at Least Five According to Court Documents Obtained by Oregon News Station
• Tragic Mendocino Coast Car Crash Monday; Five Members of Washington Family Killed, Three Missing

• Body Pulled From Surf in Westport is Possibly One of the Three Missing Hart Children
  

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Jennifer Hart, the woman suspected of driving during that crash that killed her, her spouse and at least three of their six adopted children, was drunk at the time of the crash the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office announced today.

Toxicology tests also revealed that at least some of the car’s passengers had “significant” amounts of a sleep-inducing drug found in Benadryl in their systems,” the Associated Press reported today.

“Sarah Hart and two of the children had a positive toxicology finding in their blood for Diphenhydramine, an active ingredient in Benadryl,” the MCSO press release states. “The Coroner’s Division is still awaiting the BA/Toxicology analysis of the third child that was recovered on March 26.”

Three of the children were originally found dead on scene. Another body, believed to be one of the missing Hart children, was recovered from the ocean on April 7.

Read more from the MCSO below.

Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office press release:

On 04-13-2018 the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s Division received preliminary BA/Toxicology analysis results connected to autopsies that were previously performed in connection with this case.

Those preliminary results showed Jennifer Hart had a .102 BAC (blood alcohol content) while Sarah Hart and two of the children had a positive toxicology finding in their blood for Diphenhydramine, an active ingredient in Benadryl.

The Coroner’s Division is still awaiting the BA/Toxicology analysis of the third child that was recovered on 03-26-2018.

At this time the Coroner’s Division is not releasing the names of the children associated with these toxicology findings.   

The shoreline searches conducted on 04-12-2018 by patrol deputies were unsuccessful in locating any of the missing children (Hannah Hart, DeVonte Hart and Sierra Hart) or physical evidence associated with this investigation.

Searches of the Mendocino County coastline will continue with on-duty patrol deputies as calls for service allow.  Mendocino County Search & Rescue divers are preparing to be deployed to the area of the crash site once ocean conditions improve for safety reasons.  It is anticipated that ocean conditions will not improve for several days.