Daughter wants new investigation into mom's death under new Indiana law
WRTV Indianapolis
[{'start': '0.160', 'end': '3.840', 'text': "Oregon County mother's death ruled a"}, {'start': '2.080', 'end': '6.000', 'text': 'suicide, but her daughter believes'}, {'start': '3.840', 'end': '8.400', 'text': 'someone killed her. Tonight, Jennifer'}, {'start': '6.000', 'end': '10.440', 'text': 'Gats is turning to a new Indiana law in'}, {'start': '8.400', 'end': '14.080', 'text': "the hopes of getting her mother's case"}, {'start': '10.440', 'end': '17.359', 'text': 'reopened. Senate enrolled Act 177 took'}, {'start': '14.080', 'end': '19.439', 'text': 'effect on July 1st, 2021. It allows'}, {'start': '17.359', 'end': '21.439', 'text': 'families to request Indiana State Police'}, {'start': '19.439', 'end': '23.840', 'text': 'do a fresh new investigation into a'}, {'start': '21.439', 'end': '25.760', 'text': "loved one's uncharged death. Families"}, {'start': '23.840', 'end': '27.920', 'text': 'have to explain why they believe the'}, {'start': '25.760', 'end': '30.000', 'text': 'death was the result of a criminal act.'}, {'start': '27.920', 'end': '33.200', 'text': 'The law does not apply to medical'}, {'start': '30.000', 'end': '34.800', 'text': 'malpractice deaths. WRTV investigates'}, {'start': '33.200', 'end': '37.040', 'text': 'Carrick Henny found the daughter is'}, {'start': '34.800', 'end': '39.680', 'text': 'facing an uphill battle and dug into why'}, {'start': '37.040', 'end': '42.239', 'text': "families say the law isn't working as"}, {'start': '39.680', 'end': '44.960', 'text': 'they had hoped. Jennifer Gats thinks'}, {'start': '42.239', 'end': '46.960', 'text': "about her mom every day. I've heard lots"}, {'start': '44.960', 'end': '51.680', 'text': 'of stories from my family that says she'}, {'start': '46.960', 'end': '54.399', 'text': 'was pretty feisty. She was a force. Yes.'}, {'start': '51.680', 'end': '56.399', 'text': 'In 1990, Jennifer lived in Morgantown'}, {'start': '54.399', 'end': '58.879', 'text': 'with her mom and three siblings at a'}, {'start': '56.399', 'end': '61.079', 'text': "home on East Washington Street. It's now"}, {'start': '58.879', 'end': '64.400', 'text': 'a vacant'}, {'start': '61.079', 'end': '68.320', 'text': 'lot. Jennifer was 3 years old when her'}, {'start': '64.400', 'end': '71.520', 'text': 'mom, Don Caraveo, died on January 29th,'}, {'start': '68.320', 'end': '72.840', 'text': '1990. I remember waking up to the sound'}, {'start': '71.520', 'end': '74.799', 'text': 'of a'}, {'start': '72.840', 'end': '76.799', 'text': 'gunshot, not really understanding what'}, {'start': '74.799', 'end': '78.960', 'text': 'it was, but it was loud. It scared me.'}, {'start': '76.799', 'end': '80.880', 'text': 'It woke me up. She and her siblings'}, {'start': '78.960', 'end': '83.680', 'text': 'found their mom on the bedroom floor'}, {'start': '80.880', 'end': '85.520', 'text': 'with a shotgun underneath her body. My'}, {'start': '83.680', 'end': '88.000', 'text': 'oldest sister pulled the shotgun out'}, {'start': '85.520', 'end': '90.320', 'text': 'from underneath her and we ran to our'}, {'start': '88.000', 'end': '92.720', 'text': "neighbor's house for help. The Morgan"}, {'start': '90.320', 'end': '96.079', 'text': 'County Coroner ruled her cause of death,'}, {'start': '92.720', 'end': '98.000', 'text': 'gunshot wound to her abdomen, a suicide.'}, {'start': '96.079', 'end': '100.240', 'text': "It's something Jennifer never agreed"}, {'start': '98.000', 'end': '102.479', 'text': 'with. And after starting therapy last'}, {'start': '100.240', 'end': '104.880', 'text': 'year, she wanted to learn more. That I'}, {'start': '102.479', 'end': '107.759', 'text': "couldn't process her death as a suicide."}, {'start': '104.880', 'end': '110.000', 'text': "Um, it just wasn't what I believed and I"}, {'start': '107.759', 'end': '112.240', 'text': 'needed answers. Why did you reach out to'}, {'start': '110.000', 'end': '113.840', 'text': 'me? I knew that I needed help. We'}, {'start': '112.240', 'end': '115.840', 'text': 'checked with the Indiana Department of'}, {'start': '113.840', 'end': '117.840', 'text': "Health and found it's rare for someone"}, {'start': '115.840', 'end': '120.399', 'text': 'to die by suicide from shooting'}, {'start': '117.840', 'end': '123.840', 'text': 'themselves in the stomach. Between 2016'}, {'start': '120.399', 'end': '125.840', 'text': 'and 2023, less than a percent of firearm'}, {'start': '123.840', 'end': '128.479', 'text': 'suicide deaths were wounds to the'}, {'start': '125.840', 'end': '131.200', 'text': 'abdomen. And of the 4,000 firearm'}, {'start': '128.479', 'end': '133.120', 'text': 'suicides in Indiana, only eight were'}, {'start': '131.200', 'end': '135.520', 'text': 'shotgun deaths with a wound to the'}, {'start': '133.120', 'end': '139.040', 'text': 'abdomen. And of those, all eight were'}, {'start': '135.520', 'end': '141.680', 'text': 'men, zero were women. Records show the'}, {'start': '139.040', 'end': '144.800', 'text': 'Morgantown town Marshall in 1990'}, {'start': '141.680', 'end': '147.040', 'text': "investigated Don's death. So WRTV"}, {'start': '144.800', 'end': '149.760', 'text': 'Investigates asked Morgantown for the'}, {'start': '147.040', 'end': '152.160', 'text': 'original police report. A town attorney'}, {'start': '149.760', 'end': '154.400', 'text': 'responded, "The Morgantown town Marshall'}, {'start': '152.160', 'end': '156.959', 'text': 'has conducted a thorough review of the'}, {'start': '154.400', 'end': '159.760', 'text': "town's records. There are no documents"}, {'start': '156.959', 'end': '162.400', 'text': 'related to Don Caraveo." So, it\'s'}, {'start': '159.760', 'end': '164.400', 'text': 'unclear if Morgantown police ever dusted'}, {'start': '162.400', 'end': '167.040', 'text': 'for fingerprints, conducted blood'}, {'start': '164.400', 'end': '169.440', 'text': 'spatter, or bullet trajectory analysis,'}, {'start': '167.040', 'end': '171.680', 'text': "or if they tested Dawn's hands or feet"}, {'start': '169.440', 'end': '173.680', 'text': 'for gunshot residue. And they treated it'}, {'start': '171.680', 'end': '175.920', 'text': 'as a suicide from the very beginning.'}, {'start': '173.680', 'end': '179.440', 'text': 'Jennifer filed a request under Senate'}, {'start': '175.920', 'end': '182.560', 'text': 'Enrolled Act 177, asking Indiana State'}, {'start': '179.440', 'end': '184.800', 'text': "Police to reopen her mom's case. I'm"}, {'start': '182.560', 'end': '187.080', 'text': 'just looking for the truth and for'}, {'start': '184.800', 'end': '191.040', 'text': 'answers. Since the law took effect in'}, {'start': '187.080', 'end': '193.680', 'text': '2021, ISP has received 81 requests from'}, {'start': '191.040', 'end': '196.720', 'text': "families. Some you've met like Michelle"}, {'start': '193.680', 'end': '199.040', 'text': 'Barton, Donna Bell, and Amanda Walter.'}, {'start': '196.720', 'end': '201.760', 'text': 'Yet, Indiana State Police has not'}, {'start': '199.040', 'end': '204.200', 'text': 'reopened or reinvestigated a single'}, {'start': '201.760', 'end': '206.480', 'text': 'case. 81'}, {'start': '204.200', 'end': '209.040', 'text': 'denied. I find that kind of hard to'}, {'start': '206.480', 'end': '210.959', 'text': 'believe myself. Todd Scales of Newberg,'}, {'start': '209.040', 'end': '213.920', 'text': 'Indiana, and his daughter Christy'}, {'start': '210.959', 'end': '215.840', 'text': 'prompted the new law. In 2014, Christy'}, {'start': '213.920', 'end': '218.080', 'text': 'was found dead inside her car at the'}, {'start': '215.840', 'end': '221.360', 'text': 'bottom of a lake. Her death was ruled'}, {'start': '218.080', 'end': '223.519', 'text': "accidental. Uh, things didn't add up."}, {'start': '221.360', 'end': '227.519', 'text': 'Scales worked with state senator Mark'}, {'start': '223.519', 'end': '229.599', 'text': 'Mesmer to craft sea 177. The law that'}, {'start': '227.519', 'end': '233.120', 'text': 'was passed in the spirit of your'}, {'start': '229.599', 'end': '235.040', 'text': 'daughter. Did it end up helping you? No.'}, {'start': '233.120', 'end': '237.439', 'text': 'Indiana State Police declined to'}, {'start': '235.040', 'end': '240.560', 'text': "reinvestigate Christiey's death, citing"}, {'start': '237.439', 'end': '241.720', 'text': 'a lack of new evidence. If there was'}, {'start': '240.560', 'end': '243.760', 'text': 'never an'}, {'start': '241.720', 'end': '246.480', 'text': 'investigation, how can there be new'}, {'start': '243.760', 'end': '250.080', 'text': 'evidence? Do you think this law is'}, {'start': '246.480', 'end': '251.920', 'text': 'working as intended? No. We took our'}, {'start': '250.080', 'end': '254.640', 'text': 'questions to Indiana State Police'}, {'start': '251.920', 'end': '257.199', 'text': "Captain Ron Galves. He can't talk about"}, {'start': '254.640', 'end': '260.720', 'text': 'specific cases, but agreed to talk to us'}, {'start': '257.199', 'end': '263.040', 'text': 'about the law. This may be their last'}, {'start': '260.720', 'end': '266.479', 'text': 'opportunity to seek that seek that'}, {'start': '263.040', 'end': '268.720', 'text': 'justice. He explains once ISP receives a'}, {'start': '266.479', 'end': '271.040', 'text': 'request, an investigator takes a look'}, {'start': '268.720', 'end': '273.360', 'text': 'and gathers documentation.'}, {'start': '271.040', 'end': '275.520', 'text': "Sometimes that's readily available and"}, {'start': '273.360', 'end': '278.479', 'text': "sometimes it it's not. You know, we run"}, {'start': '275.520', 'end': '280.880', 'text': 'into a lot of a lot of obstacles. A'}, {'start': '278.479', 'end': '283.360', 'text': 'panel of Indiana State Police officers'}, {'start': '280.880', 'end': '285.919', 'text': 'then reviews each death case. Many of'}, {'start': '283.360', 'end': '287.759', 'text': 'them are suicides and overdoses. And'}, {'start': '285.919', 'end': '290.639', 'text': "we're taking each one individually and"}, {'start': '287.759', 'end': '293.440', 'text': 'giving giving it its due due review. Can'}, {'start': '290.639', 'end': '295.280', 'text': 'you say why to date no case has been'}, {'start': '293.440', 'end': '298.000', 'text': 'reinvestigated? Probably for a variety'}, {'start': '295.280', 'end': '300.479', 'text': 'of reasons. One reason, the death does'}, {'start': '298.000', 'end': '302.960', 'text': 'not meet statutory requirements. The'}, {'start': '300.479', 'end': '305.759', 'text': 'deaths have to be uncharged criminally'}, {'start': '302.960', 'end': '307.919', 'text': 'and cannot be medical malpractice.'}, {'start': '305.759', 'end': '310.560', 'text': 'Another reason ISP declines to'}, {'start': '307.919', 'end': '312.479', 'text': "investigate, lack of evidence. We can't"}, {'start': '310.560', 'end': '314.240', 'text': "unring certain bells. You know, we can't"}, {'start': '312.479', 'end': '316.639', 'text': 'put the toothpaste back in those tubes.'}, {'start': '314.240', 'end': '318.800', 'text': 'The last reason ISP reviews'}, {'start': '316.639', 'end': '320.720', 'text': 'documentation and comes to the same'}, {'start': '318.800', 'end': '322.880', 'text': 'conclusion as the original law'}, {'start': '320.720', 'end': '324.479', 'text': 'enforcement investigation. Are you'}, {'start': '322.880', 'end': '326.560', 'text': 'hoping that you can get to the point'}, {'start': '324.479', 'end': '329.280', 'text': 'where one of these cases could be'}, {'start': '326.560', 'end': '331.840', 'text': "reopened? It's going to happen. It will."}, {'start': '329.280', 'end': '334.240', 'text': 'I just feel like it falls on deaf ears.'}, {'start': '331.840', 'end': '336.800', 'text': 'Todd Scale says lawmakers need to tweak'}, {'start': '334.240', 'end': '339.039', 'text': 'the law and require a more diverse panel'}, {'start': '336.800', 'end': '342.160', 'text': "to review cases. someone that's not"}, {'start': '339.039', 'end': '345.919', 'text': 'affiliated with law enforcement to also'}, {'start': '342.160', 'end': '347.600', 'text': 'sit in on this and have some input'}, {'start': '345.919', 'end': '349.600', 'text': "because what we've got right now is"}, {'start': '347.600', 'end': '352.560', 'text': 'simply the police are policing'}, {'start': '349.600', 'end': '355.759', 'text': 'themselves. Senator Mesmer is now in'}, {'start': '352.560', 'end': '358.160', 'text': 'Congress. So WRTV Investigates contacted'}, {'start': '355.759', 'end': '360.560', 'text': 'two co-authors of the original bill,'}, {'start': '358.160', 'end': '362.479', 'text': 'State Senators Mike Young and Lonnie'}, {'start': '360.560', 'end': '364.960', 'text': 'Randolph. We heard back from their'}, {'start': '362.479', 'end': '367.440', 'text': 'offices, but those senators did not'}, {'start': '364.960', 'end': '369.520', 'text': 'agree to speak with us on camera.'}, {'start': '367.440', 'end': '371.759', 'text': "Jennifer Gats knows she's facing an"}, {'start': '369.520', 'end': '374.639', 'text': 'uphill battle by asking for a new'}, {'start': '371.759', 'end': '377.600', 'text': "investigation into her mom's death. My"}, {'start': '374.639', 'end': '380.000', 'text': "mother's story isn't a unique one. She"}, {'start': '377.600', 'end': '382.080', 'text': 'lives in Georgia now, but this month she'}, {'start': '380.000', 'end': '384.800', 'text': 'came to Indiana to talk to state police'}, {'start': '382.080', 'end': '386.800', 'text': 'and for advocacy con, a conference with'}, {'start': '384.800', 'end': '389.919', 'text': 'other grieving families aimed at'}, {'start': '386.800', 'end': '391.280', 'text': "justice. She's not giving up on her mom."}, {'start': '389.919', 'end': '393.759', 'text': 'Really, I just want her death'}, {'start': '391.280', 'end': '397.440', 'text': 'certificate updated to reflect that she'}, {'start': '393.759', 'end': '399.199', 'text': "didn't abandon us. Cara Kenny, WRTV."}, {'start': '397.440', 'end': '401.199', 'text': "State police told us Jennifer Gat's"}, {'start': '399.199', 'end': '403.280', 'text': 'request is still in the review phase and'}, {'start': '401.199', 'end': '405.440', 'text': "a panel has not yet heard her mom's"}, {'start': '403.280', 'end': '407.360', 'text': 'case. There are currently 10 requests'}, {'start': '405.440', 'end': '410.319', 'text': 'from 2024 that still need to be'}, {'start': '407.360', 'end': '412.240', 'text': 'presented to the panel. So far in 2025,'}, {'start': '410.319', 'end': '413.600', 'text': 'state police have received five requests'}, {'start': '412.240', 'end': '416.639', 'text': 'and those are in the process of'}, {'start': '413.600', 'end': '416.639', 'text': 'gathering documentation.'}]