Philadelphia Family Shocked By Lack Of Charges After Disturbing Video
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The family of a woman whose body was dumped from a car outside the entrance to Frankford Hospital's emergency room early on the morning of December 23rd, 2010 says they are upset to learn the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office refuses to file any charges in the incident.
Surveillance video obtained exclusively by the CBS 3 I-Team shows the body of 50-year-old Lori-Ann Reynolds, who died from a drug and alcohol overdose, being dragged out of the front seat of a car and left on the freezing pavement.
The driver then gets into the car, without seeking help from hospital personnel, and drives away.
Reynolds was found minutes later by a hospital worker and was pronounced dead.
CBS 3 has learned detectives attempted three times to file charges against the driver, who was identified within days of Reynolds' death.
The District Attorney's Office refused to approve charges and then in April, informed police no charges would be filed and the case was closed.
Because Reynolds was dead, the possible charge against the driver would have been "abuse of corpse."
But District Attorney Seth Williams told CBS 3's Walt Hunter that while the death was, in his words, "tragic" and the driver's actions "disgusting," it would not have been possible to successfully prosecute a criminal case.
Reynolds' family says waiting nearly four months for justice and then being told there would be no arrest has added to their ordeal.
Sources tell CBS 3 the driver, in a statement to police, admits leaving Reynolds' body on the ground and driving off, claiming he "panicked." He also claims he initially attempted unsuccessfully to get help from an ambulance crew outside.
Reported By Walt Hunter, CBS 3
