Department of Public Safety investigators say they arrived at a very bad wreck where the victims and vehicle were hard to recognize. They followed standard procedure. Troopers say the victims had no ID on them, but they found identifying papers in the vehicle and checked drivers license records.
DPS believed the victims were Marcus Jones and Rakia Dalcoe, the owner of the vehicle, so they notified their families. It turns out they were both alive and the real victims were Tyrone Davis, 27, who had borrowed Dalcoe's car and Davis' niece, Gabriel Brown, 21.
DPS said in a statement, "It is very unfortunate someone died and their relative was told they were dead when they were not and others actually had died."
Troopers also say identification is always preliminary until an autopsy is performed.
Adding to the confusion, when Davis did not return Dalcoe's car, investigators say she grew worried and went searching for him. She left her four kids under age 10 at home, so when investigators initially thought Dalcoe was dead, Child Protective Services went to get her children.
"The children remain with their mother. We will continue our investigation and provide any services they might need," said Estella Olguin of CPS. "We will also let the mother know about the inappropriateness of leaving children at home, especially at those ages."
CPS says the mother left her children alone for about an hour and a half. They have not taken custody of the children.
DPS says it realized its mistake when the woman they believed was dead actually called authorities and said she was still alive.
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