But suspicions against Blake and Truelove did not end. An autopsy was performed by the Marion County Coroner’s Office two days later. Allison was with the pathologist who found the child’s brain injuries were those similar to injuries in a traffic accident. The official cause of death was a subdural hemorrhage due to blunt impact to the head.

Interviews with Vadney started on July 14 and 15. While interviewers were talking place with Vadney and other family members, Daviess County probation sent a letter to Dubois County, telling them they should check on Truelove based on the evidence collected so far.

In the evening of July 14, state police had started to look for Truelove in Jasper. He took off, going on U.S. 231 north, toward Martin County. He pulled into Truelove Cemetery, where family members are buried, and shot and killed himself.

Vadney was charged in Daviess County on July 15, with neglect and conspiracy to manufacture meth. It wasn’t until early in 2009 that Dubois County charged Vadney with battery resulting in death and neglect of a dependent resulting in death, both Class A felonies. She is scheduled for trial in Dubois County on Oct. 19.

The aftermath

Potts resigned soon after Vadney’s arrest. In the file and in the DCS report, much of the blame lay with Potts’ nondisclosure of Jalen’s failed drug test. Potts was hired in 2006.

DCS Spokesperson Ann Houseworth said Potts was asked why he withheld information but did not elaborate.

Potts would not comment for this story.

Heshelman, Potts' supervisor, was demoted to a caseworker soon after. Houseworth would not comment on why Heshelman was demoted calling it a “personnel matter.”

Neither Heshelman, nor her director, Berry, would comment on this story. When the Times-Herald tried to leave a message, they were instructed to call the state office.

The large file of documents about Jalen’s final month of his life was obtained two weeks ago, through separate public records requests from both the Times-Herald and The Indianapolis Star.

Before the file was released to the media, the files went to the state Child Fatality Review Board for a ruling. Per state law, if the child died because of abuse, the file can be released after redaction by the court. On April 1, the Marion County Juvenile Court was given the file. Although the law states that the file has 30 days to be redacted, it took two months for the more than 700 pages to be redacted. Medical records were not released, but both newspapers received more than 200 pages of DCS files.

The reaction of Jalen’s failed test and what CPS did not do has left family members wondering why. Justin Blake, who is on work release in Daviess County, has met with attorneys and is preparing to file suit against the state.

“I’ve made mistakes in the past and I’ve paid for them,” Blake said. “They’ve (CPS) obviously done something wrong and they should too.

“It ain’t about money. It’s about accountability. I don’t care if I get anything, I just want them to be accountable. That was my son’s life and there’s no telling what he could have been.”