Apr 18, 2012 9:29pm

(Image Credit: ABC)

Samples of DNA were collected without parental consent from students at a Sacramento, Calif.,middle school in connection with the murder of an 8th grade student who was found stabbed, strangled and beaten to death near the dugout of a local park.

The Sacramento Sheriffs Department, which has been spearheading the investigation into the murder of Jessica Funk-Haslam, 13, said parental consent was not required in the DNA collection and interview of minors, several of whom were taken out of class during the day last week at Albert Einstein Middle School.

These are interviews, not interrogations, Sheriffs Deputy Jason Ramos told ABCNews.com. They are all consensual. Once its done, there is a mechanism in place for school administrators to notify parents.

Ramos said the DNA collection was done at the time of the interview so efforts didnt have to be duplicated. Ramos cautioned that the collection did not necessarily mean authorities had a DNA profile of the suspect.

Over the past few weeks, police have sifted through a number of leads and alibis but have been unable to name a suspect in Jessicas murder.

The teens body was found at Rosemont Community Park on the morning of March 6. Jessica was reportedly arguing with her mother the night before and voluntarily left her home and boarded local transportation to a local park.

There is nothing under California law that prohibits DNA collection of consenting minors, said John Myers, a professor at the McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento.

I think the answer is, kids can consent, and if they consented and it was knowing and intelligent, [law enforcement] can do the search, he told the Sacramento Bee.

Read more:
Cops Take School Kids' DNA in Murder Case