Balloons in his favorite colors — black, blue and white — drifted up from the courtyard at Underwood Tower.
What is USAID? Explaining the US foreign aid agency and why Trump and Musk want to end itThe Afternoon WireNFL emails reveal extent of Saints' damage control for clergy sex abuse crisisBeyoncé announces 2025 'Cowboy Carter' stadium tour, fresh off Grammy winsIn Kentucky bourbon country, the prospect of a trade war feels like a hangover that won't go awayFACT FOCUS: No evidence that $50 million was designated by the US to buy condoms for HamasThe unexpected origins of...
The 56-year-old died from natural causes, the police concluded in their report. Douglas County’s coroner decided no autopsy was needed.Nebraska’s spring game likely canceled as transfer portal has made it detrimental, Rhule saysPete became one of the thousands of Nebraskans who died outside of a doctor’s care and did not receive an autopsy last year. On average, 87% of unattended deaths aren’t autopsied.
The coroner’s decision not to autopsy Pete left his family and friends tormented with questions about his death and no way to answer them. Denece talked to her big brother on one of his last nights alive, their 15-minute exchange recorded in the call logs of Pete’s old phone. By contrast, the northeast and southwest regions of the state autopsy less than 7% of unattended deaths on average.Separated by a 50-mile stretch of Interstate 80 in central Nebraska, Buffalo and Lincoln counties saw a similar number of unattended deaths over six recent years — 880 and 864, respectively.Lower autopsy rates in rural areas may reflect a lack of resources, like staff and funding, and distance from morgues, Robert Anderson, chief of mortality statistics at the CDC.
When asked why he didn’t order more autopsies, Vinton said, “There just weren’t any suspicious circumstances.” “A lot of that comes from, unfortunately, fatal situations where somebody has died and a medical examiner or coroner’s office has collected that data,” Keyes said. To Denece, it felt like they had been fed an explanation — natural causes — that explained nothing. The denial of an autopsy, she believed, came because her brother was a poor Black man.
About 23% of Black people who died unattended in Douglas County received an autopsy, compared to about 13% of white, non-Hispanic people, according to CDC data from 2018 to 2023. Neighbor Ed Dorsey said he left a sack of hats for Pete at his door, but his friend never emerged to pick them up. He called 911 the night of July 2, but first responders didn’t enter Pete’s apartment until the next morning.
The report also states that Katrina told officers Pete had been a severe alcoholic and a smoker, which Katrina and Quanna denied they said. Pete’s supposed alcoholism drove officers’ judgment that he died of natural causes and ultimately landed on his death certificate. Bills to establish state medical examiners in 1980 and 1999 collapsed due to cost concerns, and the issue went quiet until a 2008 investigation by the Omaha World-Herald.
Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine, who chairs the statewide County Attorney Standards Advisory Council, said it’s likely that county attorneys elected or contracted before the 2009 law have never been made to do death investigation training. “But that’s not what we want,” he added. County attorneys still double as coroners in Nebraska, as well as a handful of counties in Washington state and three counties in New York. But those other isolated holdouts are disappearing.Those changes may soon leave Nebraska’s 93 counties as the only in the country where elected prosecutors double as coroners.As July stretched on, the Chappell family split on continuing to push for answers. Some members just wanted to let it go and lay Pete’s memory to rest.
Having unanswered questions about how a loved one died can complicate or prolong grieving, said Julie Bierman, a therapist at Counseling Connections and Associates in Omaha.“It’s kind of like having a puzzle when it’s just pieces missing. … How are you satisfied with that?” said Pete’s niece Quanna. It’s an unassuming building in midtown Omaha, shared with organ donation nonprofit Live On Nebraska, which built it in 2018.
Kleine said some of his rural colleagues struggle with budgetary constraints and county boards griping about the cost of autopsies. Ideally, he said, money should never be a factor.
Ed Dorsey Omaha Law Enforcement Homicide Grand Island General News NE State Wire Kelly Keyes U.S. News Katrina Chappell George Vinton Julie Bierman Bill Ouren Nebraska State Government Don Kleine Benjamin Beethe Death Rates Neal Bonacci Robert Anderson Patrick Condon U.S. News
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
FAA Systems 'Antiquated', Need Updates Amid Air Traffic Controller Recruitment PlummetTransportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlights the need for modernization within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) due to aging systems and a dwindling pool of air traffic controllers.
Read more »
Officials Sound Alarm Over 'Antiquated' Air Traffic Technology After Recent CrashesConcerns are mounting over air traffic control systems in the US following two deadly plane crashes this week. Vice President JD Vance and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlighted issues with staffing shortages and outdated software during Fox News appearances.
Read more »
Whoopi Goldberg Defends Carrie Underwood Over Trump Inauguration Performance: ‘I Stand Behind Her’Whoopi Goldberg defended Carrie Underwood over the Donald Trump inauguration, which the country star will perform at. See what Whoopi said.
Read more »
Unlocking the Magic of Whim Balloons in Infinity NikkiDiscover the exciting new addition to Infinity Nikki: Whim Balloons! This guide explores how to collect, trade, and utilize these whimsical orbs to earn valuable rewards like Diamonds and Fireworks Sketches. Learn about the Drifting Whim event and where to find all 56 hidden Whim Balloons scattered across Firework Isles.
Read more »
Beards, balloons, and the Gulf: Cotton State Santas bring post-Christmas cheer to Alabama coastThe Cotton State Santas held their annual January gathering this weekend on the Alabama Gulf Coast. The weekend featured fellowship, mentoring and a memorable plunge into the Gulf of Mexico.
Read more »
Ariana Grande & Ethan Slater Celebrate Her First Oscar Nomination With Glinda Pink BalloonsAriana Grande is officially an Oscar nominee and she's celebrating with fellow Wicked castmate and boyfriend Ethan Slater with an homage to her character.
Read more »