Shirley Turner and her 13-month-old son Zachary died as a result of drowning, the province's chief medical examiner has determined.

The bodies of Turner - the woman facing extradition to the United States to face a murder charge - and her son were found on a beach in Manuels, Conception Bay, Monday night.

Earlier coverage: Shirley Turner, son found dead

Shirley and Zachary Turner

Confirmation of the cause of death comes as people close to Turner try to deal with the thought of her killing her son and then herself in an apparent murder-suicide.

Zachary is the son of the man Turner is accused of shooting to death in the U.S.

In June, a judge cleared the way for Turner's extradition to the United States to stand trial for the 2001 murder of Andrew Bagby.

Shirley Turner leaving court in January

Bagby was found dead in a Pennsylvania park with five bullet holes in his body.

On Monday morning, Turner's lawyer, Randy Piercy, was expecting a phone call from his client to go over her appeal of the extradition.

By nightfall, Piercy was called by police to go and identify Turner's body and that of her son.

Lawyer identified body

Piercy says he was shocked.

"I got a call from the investigating officer asking me to identify the body because the family was too distraught to do so," he says.

Piercy says his client didn't give any indication of what was about to happen.

"Absolutely 100 per cent not," he says.

"These were serious charges and certainly she was worried, but I never ever for a moment imagined this would happen."

The parents of Andrew Bagby have been living in St. John's to be near their grandson. At one point, they had custody while Turner was in jail.

The court records detailing their fight for young Zachary are sealed.

Bagbys asked to be left alone

Through their lawyer, the Bagbys have asked to be left alone to deal with yet another devastating tragedy.

Turner was running out of options in her two-year fight against extradition to the U.S.

Investigators there say Turner shot Bagby because he wanted to end their relationship. After the shooting, Turner fled to Canada and fought to stay here.

Last night, the case came to a sudden and tragic end.

Turner was last seen leaving her house about 11:30 Sunday night.

A vacationing Ontario couple stumbled upon her body a the beach just outside St. John's about 7 p.m. Monday. Police later found the body of her son a few metres away.