Latest news with #AHangingonBackboneCreek
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Texas medical examiner expansion bill misses midnight House approval, but interim proposal could revive it
This story is part of KXAN's 'A Hanging on Backbone Creek' Catalyst investigation, launched November 18, 2024. As Texas' population grows, critics point to the need for more medical examiners in death investigations, instead of the state relying so heavily on its current process in most counties, where an elected justice of the peace — already assigned many court-related duties — also has the power to determine cause and manner of death with scant training and often without autopsies or forensic expertise. During our reporting, Texas lawmakers resumed efforts to modernize that antiquated system, as a nearly-forgotten mystery resurfaced with a fresh review of a young girl's strangulation case. AUSTIN (KXAN) – A proposal aimed at establishing more medical examiner offices sooner in Texas died amid a flurry of bills considered on the House floor late Tuesday night, though the lawmaker who carried Senate Bill 1370 in the lower chamber plans to keep the topic alive ahead of the next legislative session in 2027. 'I think we should have an interim charge to look at this issue to bring more medical examiners to the state,' Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, told KXAN earlier this month. Anchia also filed an identical House companion to SB 1370, which did not progress this session. The idea for the interim charge came after Anchia fielded questions during a House subcommittee hearing about the availability of physicians with forensic science training who could fill the state's need for medical examiners. Experts have said there is a shortage of such doctors actively practicing, with the National Association of Medical Examiners recently telling KXAN the number was around 750 nationwide. Explore 'A Hanging on Backbone Creek,' the project that sparked SB 1370 'We just need more people who are specialized in this work, and creating an incentive program makes total sense,' Anchia said. Texas has 254 counties. Medical examiner offices are used in 14 of them to investigate and certify the cause and manner of unexpected deaths, and conduct autopsies. The state has one medical examiner district based around Tarrant County. The remaining counties use elected justices of the peace to investigate and certify deaths, and determine if a body may need to be sent for an autopsy — usually through a contract with another another county or private entity. Justices of the peace are elected, hold numerous other court-related duties and have no required prerequisite medical or death investigation experience. KXAN has reported extensively on challenges with the justice of the peace death investigation system. Medical examiner office advocates have argued these government offices – led by appointed medical doctors – provide a higher level of expertise and public service. Currently, counties are only statutorily required to have medical examiner offices when their population hits 2.5 million. SB 1370 aimed to decrease the benchmark to 1 million. This map shows which Texas counties have medical examiners and which rely on justices of the peace for death investigations. Source: Various Texas Counties/Arezow Doost (KXAN Interactive/David Barer) There are three Texas counties – Hays, Hidalgo and Williamson – that do not currently have medical examiner offices but are projected to have populations over 1 million by 2060, according to the Texas Demographic Center. Williamson County is already making preparations to build a medical examiner office before hitting the 1 million population level. Trio of bills aim to strengthen Texas death investigations The measure also would have clarified that counties can implement a medical examiner office before reaching 1 million people. Additionally, counties that share borders can pool resources to form a medical examiner district. 'By expanding the pool of counties required or able to create an office or a district, S.B. 1370 aims to strengthen investigative capacity statewide, enhance public health and safety, and improve the consistency and reliability of death investigations,' the bill's author, Sen. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound, said in its statement of intent. KXAN reached out to Parker's office for comment following the bill stalling in the House but has not received a response. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Medical examiner expansion bill moves to full House consideration
This story is part of KXAN's 'A Hanging on Backbone Creek' Catalyst investigation, launched November 18, 2024. As Texas' population grows, critics point to the need for more medical examiners in death investigations, instead of the state relying so heavily on its current process in most counties, where an elected justice of the peace — already assigned many court-related duties — also has the power to determine cause and manner of death with scant training and often without autopsies or forensic expertise. During our reporting, Texas lawmakers resumed efforts to modernize that antiquated system, as a nearly-forgotten mystery resurfaced with a fresh review of a young girl's strangulation case. AUSTIN (KXAN) – A bill that would lower the population threshold for Texas counties to create medical examiner offices – expanding the number of those death investigation offices as the state grows – passed out of the House Intergovernmental Affairs Committee 10-0 Friday, bringing it closer to final passage by the full chamber and then to the governor's desk. Senate Bill 1370, authored by state senators Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound, and Joan Huffman, R-Houston, would require counties to establish medical examiner offices when they reach 1 million people, rather than the current statutory level of 2.5 million. Texas currently has a two-tiered death investigation system, with medical examiners and justices of the peace certifying the cause and manner of unexpected deaths in the state. Just over a dozen of the more populous counties use medical examiner offices led by appointed physicians. Most of Texas' 254 counties use elected justice of the peace judges who are not required to have medical training or forensic science expertise. The bill also clarifies that neighboring counties can establish medical examiner districts to share costs and resources. Supporters have touted the measure as one that will strengthen the state's death investigation capacity. KXAN has thoroughly investigated the state's death investigation system, including the origin of justices of the peace in Texas and a push by experts and lawmakers to expand the use of medical examiners. The Senate bill has an identical companion bill, House Bill 5131, authored by Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, but it has not advanced beyond a subcommittee on county and regional government. Anchia is carrying SB 1370 in the House and laid it out earlier this month in that same subcommittee. With only days left this legislative session, the bill will face tight deadlines in its final stages. If it advances to the governor's desk and he signs it into law – or allows it to become law without his signature – it would take effect Sept. 1. Anchia tells KXAN he plans to call for an interim charge ahead of the next session in 2027 to look at how Texas can attract more medical examiners to the state, as the nation faces a shortage of doctors holding that specialty. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
KXAN wins 5 regional Edward R. Murrow awards, most in Texas
AUSTIN (KXAN) — KXAN won five regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, more than any other station in Texas, the Radio Television Digital News Association announced Monday. The Edward R. Murrow Awards, named after the famed broadcaster, are prestigious awards that honor 'outstanding achievements in broadcast and digital journalism.' RTDNA has given out these awards since 1971. KXAN received awards in the Digital, Excellence in Innovation, Excellence in Video, News Series and Podcast categories. Regional winners advance to the national competition, whose winners are announced in August. Excellence in Innovation and Podcast: KXAN's project 'A Hanging on Backbone Creek' was recognized for its Excellence in Innovation while the accompanying podcast won in that category. The investigation delved into the mysterious death of a quiet, young girl that haunts the town of Marble Falls, Texas, nearly 60 years after her body was discovered hanging by a jump rope in a shed behind her family's home along Backbone Creek. Quickly ruled an accidental strangulation by a local justice of the peace, questions linger not only about this case and others nearby — but also an antiquated process still used in most Texas counties, giving certain elected officials the power to determine cause and manner of death with scant training and often without autopsies or forensic expertise. KXAN investigates efforts underway to strengthen and modernize this system, as our discoveries also reveal potential gaps in its oversight and prompt a new review of the last day Daynon Lewis was alive. Excellence in Video: The video for KXAN's coverage of 'A Fatal Fall: The Treysuhr Carter mystery' was recognized for its Excellence in Video. The investigation explored what happened the night Treysuhr Carter was found lying in the road, and her family's insistence that she didn't accidentally fall off her push scooter. Police initially closed her case, but after KXAN investigated, the medical examiner's office amended its report, and police said they would review her case. News Series: KXAN's initial 'Preventing Disaster' project — and continuing coverage that has led to changes — was recognized in the News Series category. When a car slammed into an Austin emergency room in early 2024, killing the driver and injuring five others, KXAN investigators dug into the safety concerns surrounding a hospital without security barriers at its entrance. Our team traveled to dozens of hospitals across Central Texas, analyzed similar crashes across the state and broadened the scope of our research nationwide. We discovered hundreds of crashes at medical centers in the last decade, and also learned there is no legal requirement or industry standard for security barriers that could stop them from happening. Digital: The digital category recognized KXAN's investigative work on including the following projects: A Hanging on Backbone Creek Preventing Disaster A Fatal Fall: The Treysuhr Carter Mystery Austin Stitched Together The Untouchables Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Inside the Investigation: Why Texas might need more medical examiners
AUSTIN (KXAN) — After decades of justices of the peace with minimal training handling death investigations across the state, Texas lawmakers are advancing a bill that would create a new system. This week on Inside the Investigation, Senior Investigative Producer David Barer explains the challenges that could come with reform. Bill to expand medical examiner access in Texas closer to law A Hanging on Backbone Creek: A Catalyst Project Join KXAN Investigative Reporter Kelly Wiley every Friday at 10:30 a.m. on YouTube, Facebook, or for a live recap of the latest headlines and in-depth reporting from the KXAN Investigates team. You can also listen to KXAN's investigative podcast, highlighting some of our award-winning team's latest reports exposing corruption, safety concerns, and system failures across Texas. We also feature audio versions of our weekly 'Inside the Investigation' discussion with the journalists working on those stories. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Yahoo
Inside the Investigation: 1965 strangulation death certificate updated as bill filed to expand medical access
MARBLE FALLS, Texas (KXAN) — Nearly 60 years after a young girl was mysteriously found dead in a shed behind her family's Marble Falls home, a KXAN investigation is leading to a change in her case. On this week's Inside the Investigation, Director of Investigations and Innovation Josh Hinkle discusses the new legislation sparked by his reporting. Join KXAN Investigative Reporter Kelly Wiley every Friday at 10:30 a.m. on YouTube, Facebook, or for a live recap of the latest headlines and in-depth reporting from the KXAN Investigates team. 1965 strangulation death certificate updated as bill filed to expand medical examiner access A Hanging on Backbone Creek PODCAST: Who killed Daynon Lewis? Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
