The second part of the tragedy of Jalen Blake starts at Riley Hospital in Indianapolis, where doctors are assessing the injuries Blake had sustained, now known to be done by his mother, Vadney Blake.

The injuries, sustained on June 26, could possibly have been prevented if the state Department of Child Services had removed Jalen from Vadney’s care after a positive drug test on June 6. Vadney had also failed a voice stress analysis.

A case manager from Child Protective Services in Daviess County and his supervisor did not tell their superiors of the positive test, found in a Times-Herald investigation. The Indianapolis Star also ran a similar investigation.

Case Manager John Potts resigned soon after the investigation, but his superiors, Leslie Heshelman and Melinda Berry, were also found culpable according to the DCS files.

The suspicion

At 7:14 p.m. on June 27, Jalen was at Riley where doctors immediately worked to save his life. By 11:05 p.m., the family had arrived at Riley. Jalen was in the intensive care unit, under a ventilator. Potts instructed the nurses at Riley that Jalen was not allowed to be left alone with the family. While the family was in Indianapolis, a search warrant was being obtained for John and Glenda Blake’s Cannelburg home. Nothing was found by crime scene technicians.

A brain scan determined that Jalen was brain dead.

The Dubois County affidavit showed that Vadney had been sending text messages to lover Jeff Truelove while Jalen was in the hospital. Both Truelove and Vadney smoked meth in Jalen’s presence, according to court documents.

“they just told me that (Jalen) had a stroke (sic),” Vadney wrote.

Later, she asked Truelove “did u do any thang around him because they r trying to say its meth.”

Truelove said no. At 11:12 p.m., Vadney wrote “(Jalen) is with god.”

“Wat?” Truelove wrote

“they do think it me they think it the person I was with I don’t no how to (tell) them (who) I was with,” Vadney wrote.

“Call me,” Truelove wrote back.

Justin Blake, Jalen’s incarcerated father, was transported from jail by Daviess County Det. Gary Allison to the hospital. By mutual decision, the parents decided to stop life support. At 9:30 a.m. on June 28, Jalen Blake died.