In reference to the article in The Daily Chief Union, March 27, "Republicans Hold Annual Dinner." Prosecuting attorney Jonathon Miller of Wyandot County said, "I'm proud of how tough we've been on crime. We've been tough on drug dealers. We are surrounded by communities that have serious, serious drug problems and crime, and Wyandot County continues to be a wonderful place to live. "
In reference to the article in The Advertiser Tribune, "Heroin Raining Down on Ohio," March 28, "Heroin is so prevalent in Ohio it is 'falling out of the sky,' according to new state data that finds children as young as 13 are now starting on the drug, considered a cheap substitute for prescription painkillers. Heroin remains highly available in all regions."
July 30, 2009, our son Bill died. An autopsy revealed he died of a drug overdose. We kept in constant contact with the criminal investigator of Wyandot County. This continued for a year.
Bill was in Kenton at a house with several people. Aug 11, 2010, we met with Jonathon Miller, prosecuting attorney and the investigator. We were under the impression charges would be filed against the girl who had admitted to injecting Bill with heroin. Miller told us a grand jury would not indict, he wasn't even going to present this to them. His reason was because "people in Wyandot County don't believe there's a drug problem."
During the many phone calls with the criminal investigator, we were told, "things were being done," "turning rocks over," "criminal charges will be filed in Bill's death," "both Wyandot and Hardin County will meet with all the evidence, then decide which venue the trial will be held" and "something is going to happen."
After sitting there for two hours trying to get answers, we realized nothing was going to be done. We were numb; there would be no justice for Bill. Miller didn't even look at us face to face. He looked away while speaking. To let you know how uninterested Miller was in us being there, when he first met us that day in his office, he called Joy "Jill." She is the mother of a son who died of an overdose and whose office supposedly was investigating his death.
We asked why these people at the house in Kenton just didn't call for help or drop Bill off at the hospital in Kenton. We were told because "they were so high on drugs, they weren't thinking." This is how much they weren't thinking. ... They put Bill in the back seat of a car and drove to Carey. While on their way to Carey, the car had a flat tire. They changed the tire. Upon arriving in Carey, they stopped at a convicted drug dealer's house. There, it was decided they would park the car at the IGA parking lot and leave Bill in the back seat.
This happened July 29, 2009, between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. The people who were with Bill left. They left Bill in the back seat of the car. Bill was found July 30, 2009, between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. - 20 hours later.
September 2010, we were told by the criminal investigator of Wyandot County the case was closed and no charges would be brought against anyone in Bill's death. We asked for his report and received it. Because the case was closed, the report is public record. While reading the investigator's report, we cannot express the horror we felt when we realized the prosecutor's office did not tell us everything when we had met in August.
After Bill was injected with heroin, he started bleeding from his mouth. A person who was there said, "he was fading fast." Blood was on Bill's clothes, so the people there changed his clothes before putting him in the back seat of a car.
Why were we not told this during the meeting? Where are Bill's clothes? Where is Bill's hat? At the house in Kenton where this had taken place, a young boy was there. His dad was one of the people doing drugs. Again, no charges.
Looking under the website of convicted drug traffickers in Hardin County, Brad Bailey, the prosecuting attorney of Hardin County, says, "Our local law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly to get drugs and offenders off the streets of our neighborhoods, but they need the help of the community."
In reference to the article "Jail Does Not Meet Standards" April 2 in The (Findlay) Courier, Sheriff Mike Hetzel of Wyandot County said, "I'm a firm believer in what you allow becomes the norm."
We agree. By not attempting to prosecute the girl who admitted injecting Bill with heroin, or the others who left Bill in the back seat of a car and walked away, the prosecuting attorney of Wyandot County, Miller, is saying go ahead, inject someone with heroin, it's OK, I won't put you in prison. Leave him in the backseat of a car, it's OK, I won't put you in prison. Nothing will happen to you. It's the norm.
An attorney has read the police reports and told us at the very least, the girl who injected Bill with heroin and admitted it should have been charged with reckless homicide. Miller, why wasn't she charged?
After reading this letter, why would anybody in Wyandot County vote to re-elect Miller for prosecuting attorney?
Rudy and Joy Niederkohr,
Carey
