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New: Woman’s death likely not foul play
Two women found unconscious, one still alive; coroner suggests natural causes
An investigation into a suspicious death by the Kentucky State Police and Pulaski County Major Crimes Task Forces appears not to have the been the result of foul play, according to the local coroner’s office.
Carol Barnett, 56, was found unconscious in her residence on 89 Whitis Lane, near East Ky. 80, along with another unresponsive woman whose identity is not being released yet by the Kentucky State Police. Sgt. Tracy Woods of KSP said that the Pulaski County Major Crimes Task Force was called in to investigate at 10:23 a.m. Thursday morning because of the unusual nature in which the two women were found.
Both women were later taken to Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital, where Barnett died “shortly thereafter,” said Woods. The other woman, who is 73, remains hospitalized and attached to a ventilator, said Woods, though a condition was unavailable as of presstime.
An autopsy that occurred yesterday in Frankfort suggested that the state in which the two women were found does not appear to have been connected to any sort of foul play, said Pulaski County Coroner Richard New.
“It was a very suspicious-type death at first,” said New. “As more information is revealed from the autopsy ... natural death is what it’s looking like.”
Barnett had Down syndrome and lived at the residence in the care of the other woman, said New. Barnett also suffered from “extreme diabetes.”
At some point which has yet to be determined, the other woman appears to have been stricken by some kind of medical condition, possibly a stroke, which left her unconscious or unable to oversee the needs of Barnett.
“With both of those conditions, without a guardian present, naturally (Barnett) was unable to attend to herself ... to monitor herself or what she ate,” said New. “It was a natural death, but it was a very unfortunate accident.”
New said that probably around eight days had passed before the women were discovered, and “nobody had seen them or checked on them” before Thursday.
“We don’t know how long (Barnett) went without guidance or medicine,” said New. “It’s a very terrible situation.”
TFC Don Trosper said that the case was still open as of Friday evening and nothing had been officially ruled out at that point.
KSP Detective Doug Boyd is the lead investigator into the incident and was assisted at the scene by Trooper Anthony Phillips, Trooper Chris Ison and officers from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office.
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LCADTF could lose big bucks
Lake Cumberland Area Drug Task Force officials estimate that the City of Somerset’s lack of involvement in the task force could lead to a loss of some $250,000 in federal funding per year — a chunk which could easily force the task force to close its doors.
David Keller, deputy director of Appalachia HIDTA, a major funding source for the local drug task force and the reason why federal and state law enforcement officers are able to be a part of the agency, says the agency’s current situation is more serious than many people realize.
Keller says HIDTA has made a “huge investment” in the LCADTF, but that folks shouldn’t get too comfortable with the agency’s ability to obtain grant money at the federal or state level.
“This is not entitlement money. ... Our grant is performance driven, and it’s sought after by competitive forces,” Keller said. “If this agency doesn’t produce, they stand a risk of not having the task force funded. That money will go someplace else — to another county that would love to have it.” -
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Less than a decade ago, Pleasant Hill was a pastoral community. Modern homes were tucked among shaded lawns. Cattle grazed peacefully at day and fireflies blinked in darkness. The area was served by a friendly little road called Clifty.
Things have changed and are changing. In a relatively few days, huge electric bulbs will glow, turning night forever into day. Horseless carriages will trek in places where tailpipes have belched never before. -
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