KAREN CLARISE KAPPELMAN - 15 yo - Walton KY

To the best of my recollection LE was awaiting tox screen results from the autopsy. That should be in another two to four weeks.
Please continue to check here and also keep us apprised of anything you might hear.

Poster's Note: Well, the results from the tox screen are in. Reportedly there was a significant amount of alcohol in her bloodstream. However, she was ONLY 15! Ok, I'll admit it. I drank before I was legal...maybe even around her age. Somebody was with her, somebody provided the juice, IMHO that person (or persons) needs to be identified and arrested for an accessory to this girl's demise. This case stays in Unresolved until we get some more answers...

A coroner says a teenager found dead outside a northern Kentucky
apartment building froze to death.Boone County Coroner Doug Stith
said Monday that alcohol intoxication contributed to the death of
15-year-old Karen Kappelman, whose body was found in the snow in
February. Stith listed her cause of death as hypothermia due to
exposure.A neighbor saw Kappelman's partly clothed body lying on a
hill near her building off Kentucky 338 in Walton and called sheriff's
deputies.

A 15-year-old girl found dead in the snow outside a nothern Kentucky
apartment complex last month died from hypothermia due to exposure, the
coroner's office reported Monday, and alcohol intoxication contributed
to her death.



Boone County police officials say the remains
of Karen Kappelman, a student at Ryle High School, were found at about
10 a.m. on February 28 on a bed of snow outside of The Legends at
Steeplechase complex where she lived.

Kappelman was found at
the bottom of the hill, near a sidewalk running alongside the parking
lot with a coat on the ground nearby.

Authorities said they
found no evidence of foul play, trauma or abuse, but sheriff's deputies
said they learned that Kappelman and her friends had gotten drunk prior
to her death.

Investigators said charges could be filed against
some of those friends, who the girl's parents blamed for her death.

Family
members said Kappelman invited a friend to spend the night with her
Feb. 27, and the pair sneaked out to "have some fun" after watching a
movie and eating popcorn around 11 p.m.

Relatives said they
believed that was the first time the Ryle High School ninth grader had
left the house without parental consent.

The girl and her family
had moved to Boone County in October after 15 years in Alabama.

The 15-year-old Ryle High School student who was found dead lying in the
snow last month was drunk when she died of exposure after being dropped
off outside her apartment after a party, officials said Monday.
Karen Kappelman died of hypothermia and had a blood-alcohol level of
0.128, said Boone County Coroner Doug Stith.
“She was
intoxicated and was exposed to extreme temperatures outside for a period
of time,” Stith said. The low temperature the night of Feb. 27 was 29
degrees.
“It’s a terrible tragedy,” said Stith, who ruled the death was an
accident.
Karen’s body was discovered about 10 a.m. Feb. 28 on a
hill next to her first-floor apartment in the Legends at Steeplechase.

Her
parents, Danette and David Kappelman, thought Karen was in her room
sleeping and only learned she was missing when they saw the sheriff’s
department activity outside.“We are living an unbelievable
nightmare with the loss of our daughter,” her parents said in statement.
“Those individuals that contributed to her demise will have to live
with that for the rest of their lives.”

Karen and a friend who
had been spending the night at her apartment sneaked out sometime after
11 p.m. and went to a party, said Boone County Sheriff’s spokesman Tom
Scheben. The girls got drunk at the party then were dropped off back at
the apartment, he said.Karen’s friend, who was not identified,
went into the apartment and was sleeping when Karen was discovered
outside.

The girls were eating popcorn and watching a movie in
the living room when Karen’s parents went to bed that night, according
to the statement Kappelman’s family released Monday.

“Karen and
her friend made some poor choices that night that resulted in
devastating consequences,” the family said. “Karen lost her life due to
the people involved exploiting a trusting teenage girl.”In the
statement her parents say they believe it was the first time Karen had
snuck out.

“A teenage girl was taken advantage of and no one
came to her aid,” the statement said. “Her death, like many others, was
senseless and could have easily been prevented.”

Investigators
and prosecutors are still investigating the case and charges could be
filed, Scheben said.“We know who she was with and how old they
are,” he said. “It’s just making a determination what and if charges
apply in this case.”

Stith said there was no evidence of foul
play and no drugs found in Karen’s body. Karen’s blood-alcohol level
of .128 was about one and half times the limit someone is presumed
impaired.

“In all probability, her alcohol level was probably
higher, that had probably gone down by the time the analysis was done,”
Stith said.The pathologist on the case first told Stith that the
death was not weather-related, then his opinion changed, Stith said.

Kappelman
was found with only her shirt on, investigators said. She likely
suffered from paradoxical hyperthermia, Stith said. That happens when
the person is freezing but has the sensation that they are hot so they
take their clothes off.

“The core of the body temperature has
the opposite effect, she was getting hot that’s why she wants to disrobe
but that’s the wrong thing to do,” he said.The phenomenon is
also called “paradoxical undressing,” according to the Journal of
Forensic Sciences and “represents the last effort of the victim and is
followed almost immediately by unconsciousness and death.”

Thanks for the up date....

Cause Of Death Released On Teen Found In Snow

Reported by:Ian Preuth Email: ian.preuth@wcpo.com Contributor: Shannon Kettler Last Update: 3/30 11:27 am

	UPDATE: Cause Of Death Released On Teen Found In Snow
	Cause Of Death Released On Teen Found In Snow

Related Links

• Coroner: No Evidence Of Trauma To Teen
  
• Grief Counselors At Ryle High After Teen Dies
  
• Funeral Held For Teen Found Outside Apt. Complex
  

BOONE CO., Ky. -- The Boone County Coroner has released his findings on
the cause of death of the teen who was found dead in the snow outside of
her apartment complex in February.

Douglas Stith says 15-year-old Karen Kappelman died from hypothermia due to exposure and
that ethyl alcohol intoxication contributed to her death.

Kappelman's body was discovered around 9 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 28 just feet from her
family's apartment in the Legend's Apartment Complex.

Stith has
ruled Kappelman's death as an accident and says there was no signs of
criminal activity, foul play, trauma or abuse.

Tom Scheben with the Boone County Sheriff's Office says Kappelman's blood-alcohol content
was .128, which is almost twice the legal limit to drive in the state
of Kentucky.

Karen was a freshman at Ryle High School in Union
after transferring from Alabama last October. Her principal previously
described her as quiet, very nice and very polite. Her friends described
her as amazing, sweet, shy, witty and quirky.

The Kappelman
family says on the night of Feb. 27, Karen had a friend over to spend
the night. Her parents last saw their daughter alive when they went to
bed around 11 p.m. A decision was apparently made to sneak out of the
house, which, according to the family, they believe was the first time.

"Karen
and her friend made some poor choices that night that resulted in
devastating consequences," the family said in a statement. Her family
feels she was taken advantage of and no one came to her aid.

Investigators know Kappelman and others consumed alcohol to the point of
intoxication. Detectives and prosecutors are working to determine what
charges may be filed against the other participants.

The Kappelman family released the following statement:

"We are living an unbelievable nightmare
with the loss of our daughter, Karen Clarice Kappelman. Her sister and
her were close, and she is devastated. Karen’s life and her death have
forever changed our lives. Those individuals that contributed to her
demise will have to live with that for the rest of their lives. Karen
and her friend made some poor choices that night that resulted in
devastating consequences. A teenage girl was taken advantage of and no
one came to her aid. Her death, like many others, was senseless and
could have easily been prevented.

The support from the community has been overwhelming during this time of grief. Our friends and
co-workers continue to be there for us as we move forward. We want to
specifically thank the Boone County Sheriff Department, Union Baptist
Church, Ryle High School, The Legends Apartment Community and Nexxus
Properties.

Karen grew up in a Baptist church in Montgomery.
Looking back through photos, the family can reflect on the many
experiences and places they shared with Karen: From DisneyWorld to NYC,
from white water rafting on the Ocoee River to riding a tractor on a
farm in Arkansas, from watching fireworks in Vancouver to visiting the
Amish country in Pennsylvania. The family would like the public to know
Karen was loved beyond her immediate family.

Karen and her parents moved to Northern KY in October after living in Alabama for 15
years. She has one older sister living out of state. Karen attended Ryle
high school and was in 9th grade. Her friends have described her as
amazing, sweet, shy, witty, and quirky. She was coming into her own and
developing into a responsible adult. She had a bright future ahead of
her.

She was a typical teenager concerned more about her
appearance then keeping her room straightened. Karen had chores and
responsibilities around the house and never showed reason not to be
trusted. She enjoyed keeping up with her friends on Facebook like many
teenagers do.

Being raised in the south, she was polite and gracious. She was a respectful teenager and would address adults with
Mrs. Miss, or Mr. and respond with a yes or no, sir or mam. Her bus
driver said she would greet him each day with a smile and say hi. He
commented he wished more kids were like her.

She was thoughtful and concerned, beyond her years, about world issues involving the
environment, other people, cultures and religions. Karen believed she
could make a difference in the world. Her class ring has a picture of a
earth with the inscription “Ours to Save”. Karen always had a special
place in her heart for animals and animal rights. She was a vegetarian.
Her make up was subtle which allowed her natural beauty to show. She
would ensure animal testing had not been used in the development of her
cosmetic items. She supported animal shelters, Greenpeace, Save the
Seals, 350.org, and World Hunger.

On the night of February 27th,
Karen had a friend spend the night. Her parents saw Karen alive for the
last time at 1100 pm when they went to bed leaving the girls watching a
movie and eating popcorn in the living room. Apparently a decision was
made to sneak out of the house and have “some fun”. How many teenagers
sneak out of the house? We believe this is the first time she did this.
Karen and her friend made some poor choices that night that resulted in
devastating consequences. Karen lost her life due to the people involved
exploiting a trusting teenage girl.

Her death, like many others, was senseless and could have easily been prevented. Karen will be
remembered by many and we will cherish our loving memories of her."

http://www.kypost.com/mostpopular/story/Cause-Of-Death-Released-On-Teen-Found-In-Snow/6Xe_KYv2JUeJMmH8YTLynQ.cspx

Man Charged In Connection With N.Ky. Teen's
Death

Reported by:Ian Preuth Email: ian.preuth@wcpo.com Last Update: 4/29 7:42 pm

Man Charged In Connection To N.Ky. Teen's Death

Karen Kappelman

Related Links

• Cause Of Death Released On Teen Found In Snow
  
• Coroner: No Evidence Of Trauma To Teen
  
• Grief Counselors At Ryle High After Teen Dies
  

BOONE COUNTY, Ky. -- A 20-year-old man is facing charges in connection
to the death of a teenage girl in Northern Kentucky.

The partially clothed body of Karen Kappelman was found outside of her
family's apartment in the Legend's Apartment Complex in Walton on
February 28.

Last month, the Boone County Coroner determined
Kappelman died from hypothermia due to exposure and that alcohol
intoxication contributed to her death.

A Kenton County grand jury Thursday indicted Jordan Hart, of Walton, on one count of unlawful
transaction with a minor. Investigators say he provided alcohol to
Kappelman on the night of her death at a party in Independence.

Kenton County Attorney Garry Edmonson held a press conference Thursday
afternoon and said an arrest warrant has been issued for Hart. Edmonson
says Hart faces up to one year behind bars if he's convicted.
Investigators are still trying to determine how Hart obtained the
alcohol.

Kappelman's parents said in a statement last month that
Karen had a friend over the night of February 27 and that they snuck out
of the residence.

The coroner ruled Kappelman's death as an
accident and said there were no signs of criminal activity, foul play,
trauma or abuse.

Tom Scheben with the Boone County Sheriff's
Office said last month that Kappelman's blood-alcohol content was .128,
which is almost twice the legal limit to drive in the state of Kentucky.

Karen was a freshman at Ryle High School in Union after transferring from
Alabama last October.
http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story/Man-Charged-In-Connection-With-N-Ky-Teens-Death/ttle5AhSK0uieX3sEj1zjQ.cspx

Man admits to providing alcohol to teen, leading to her death


Posted:
Sep 17, 2010 2:28 AM


Updated:
Sep 17, 2010 2:28 AM
Jordan Hart (Source: Kenton County Detention Center)

Karen Kappelman


COVINGTON, KY (FOX19) - A Kenton County man admitted to providing alcohol to a teenager on the night of her death.


Jordan Hart, 21, pled guilty to unlawful
transaction with a minor and was sentenced to six months probation and
community service.
Hart admitted to giving alcohol to Karen Kappelman, 15, during a party in Kenton County in February.
Kappelman was found dead later that night,
barely clothed and laying in the snow near her family's apartment in
Walton. The Boone County coroner said she died of hypothermia, but that
ethyl alcohol intoxication also contributed to her death.http://www.wxix.com