The death of D'Nazia Uzzle, a 17-year-old New London High School student, has been ruled a homicide by Connecticut's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME).
New London police found Uzzle unresponsive in a home on April 15. She was rushed to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The 17-year-old suffered blunt injuries and died suddenly during a physical altercation, according to the OCME.
Two other people found in the home, identified as 40-year-old Erica Cherry and 19-year-old Nshon Cherry, both of New London, were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening stab wounds, according to police.
Three months after Uzzle's death, no arrests have been made in her death.
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“We are trying to be as patient as we can be," said Michele Lucas, Uzzle's aunt. "We want justice. We would like justice to be done yesterday, but we know and we understand that it takes time and we want it done right.”
Uzzle's aunt said her family would like to see an arrest happen soon, but they also don't want police to rush.
"Because we want it to stick," said Uzzle. "We need the answers. We need the arrest to happen.”
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New London Police called the investigation a priority.
"Our agency has been and will continue to work diligently in collaboration with the New London County State's Attorneys Office and the State of Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory in furtherance of this investigation," Capt. Matthew Galante shared with NBC Connecticut in a written statement.
While Uzzle's family awaits answers, they said they have been blown away by the community support and love for Uzzle.
At New London's prom, Uzzle's classmates voted her prom queen and displayed her prom dress. Students at graduation placed flowers atop a seat that was saved for Uzzle.
“It just shows that she was loved by an enormous amount of people. She touched a lot of lives in her 17 years," said Lucas.
