( CNN ) -- The U.S. Justice Department will not conduct a civil rights investigation in the case of a teenager found dead in a rolled-up mat at his southern Georgia high school , a spokesperson for that agency said Wednesday . Kendrick Johnson , 17 , was discovered dead last January 11 headfirst in a rolled wrestling mat in the Lowndes County High School gymnasium in Valdosta , Georgia . The Justice Department 's criminal division is aware of concerns about Kendrick 's death , but after reviewing the investigative file , it determined there is not `` sufficient indication of a civil rights violation to authorize a civil rights investigation , '' according to the agency 's spokesperson . `` We have discussed this matter with U.S. Attorney Moore , and his office is continuing to monitor and evaluate this matter , including the second autopsy report , '' the spokesperson added , referring to U.S. Attorney Michael Moore whose jurisdiction includes Valdosta . That second autopsy report , which was obtained by CNN on Tuesday , found that Kendrick died as the result of `` unexplained , apparent non-accidental , blunt force trauma . '' This report directly contradicts an autopsy conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation that determined that Johnson 's death was the result of positional asphyxia . The Lowndes County Sheriff 's Office ruled that his death was accidental . Questioning that cause of death , Kendrick 's family sent copies of the second autopsy report to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation , the U.S . Attorney for Georgia 's Middle District and Lowndes County Coroner -- as well as the U.S. Justice Department 's criminal division -- for review . `` I want to do the right thing by the people and the county and all concerned ; I 'm just not sure we have enough information , '' Lowndes County Coroner Bill Watson said earlier this week . `` I 'm not about to refute anybody 's findings because I 'm not a doctor . '' On May 1 , a judge granted the Johnsons ' request to exhume their son 's body in order to conduct -- at their expense -- the independent autopsy . That autopsy , done on June 15 , found Kendrick had suffered blunt force trauma to the right neck and soft tissues `` consistent with inflicted injury . '' `` This is unexplained -- most very , very likely inflicted , as opposed to something he caused himself , inflicted by another -- and therefore needs to be investigated as an open homicide investigation , '' said Dr. William R. Anderson with Forensic Dimensions in Heathrow , Florida , who conducted the autopsy . He characterized authorities failure to pursue the case as `` mystifying . '' The initial patient care report , written by EMTs with he South Georgia Medical Center Mobile Healthcare Service on the day Kendrick was found , pointed to `` bruising ( on ) the right side jaw . '' Yet a January 25 report from the Valdosta-Lowndes County Regional Crime Laboratory cited `` no signs of blunt force trauma on Johnson 's face or body . '' The autopsy results released May 2 by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified `` no significant injuries . '' Speaking earlier this week , Moore said his office has been working on Kendrick 's case `` for some time , '' though it had not launched a formal investigation . `` There are some members of the community that question the result , '' Moore said . `` I want to make sure members of the community and the family and everyone involved has confidence in my work and my decision . ''
Kendrick ##s , 28 , was found dead in a rolled - up gym bag at his Georgia high school . Authorities ruled his death accidental , said he did n't have ` ` significant injuries '' before death . The court questioned the ruling , ordering an autopsy that found ` ` non - accidental ... trauma '' The Justice Department does n't find ` ` sufficient indication of a civil rights violation ''