Interview with Denise, the Daughter

The following is the transcript of the pertinent portions of the interview of Denise by Detective Detectalie.

Detectalie: Please state your name for the record.

Denise: Denise.

Detectalie: What is your relationship to the decedent, Edna.

Denise: Edna is my mother.

Detectalie: Describe your relationship with your mom.

Denise: I think it was normal.  I was the only child, but I had to move away when I had my daughter, because her father got a job out of the state.

Detectalie: When’s the last time you saw your mother before Thanksgiving day?

Denise: Uh, I saw her a few months ago.  I have had trouble finding a job, so it’s hard for me and my daughter to get down her to see her much.  We try and visit a few times a year, but we talk all the time on the telephone.

Detectalie: Who was present at your mom’s house on Thanksgiving?

Denise: My mom, me, my daughter, my mom’s caregiver, Carla, and Carla’s boyfriend, Ivan.  Apparently, Carla has quite the temper.  My mom told me on several occasions that Carla and Ivan always argue and that she has seen Carla physically attack Ivan before.

Detectalie: When did that happen?

Denise: I don’t know, she just told me it happened.

Detectalie: Did anything occur on Thanksgiving that stands out to you?

Denise: Well, my daughter, Daisy, told me that she saw Carla and Ivan arguing in the hallway after dinner and that Carla tried to slap Ivan but he grabbed her hands.  I guess that’s around the time he left.  My daughter said that Ivan said, “you need to fix it!”

Detectalie: When did she tell you that?

Denise: After dinner while we were getting ready for bed.  We were talking about Carla and that’s when she told me.

Detectalie: Do you know if your mom called 911?

Denise: Yes. Wait, well, I’m not sure.  All I know is that the police and ambulance came to the house and woke us up.  That’s when we found mom.

Detectalie: Who found your mom?

Denise: The police, I guess.  I heard the knock on the door and got out of bed and told Daisy to stay in the bedroom.  When I came into the living room, Carla and the police were there already and then the police pushed by me and went into my mom’s room.

Detectalie: I would like to play the recording of the 911 call for a response from you; are you OK with that?

Denise: I guess so.

Recording:    

911 Operator: 911, what’s your emergency?

Edna: Help me…I’m hurt.

911 Operator:  Ma’am, you’re going to have to speak up, I’m having trouble hearing you.

Edna: I have to whisper.  Oh my gosh, I think she’s still here.

911 Operator: Who’s there?

Edna: (coughing) I can’t breathe.

911 Operator: Ma’am, how are you hurt?

Edna: (coughing) I can’t breathe. Oh, gosh, she must be angry at me.

911 Operator: Ma’am, is there someone else there?

Edna: Yes and she is mad at me.

911 Operator: Ma’am, I am going to stay on the line with you, the police and ambulance are on their way. Hold on ma’am.

Detectalie: Who was there that night when your mom made the 911 call?

Denise: Me, my daughter, my mom and Carla.

Detectalie: Who is your mom talking about?

Denise: What do you mean?

Detectalie: Your mom said “she must be angry”; who is she talking about?

Denise: Carla!  Who else would it be?

Detectalie: Why do you think that?

Denise: Well, my mom told us all at dinner that we would all be beneficiaries of her estate plan.

Detectalie: Who would be?

Denise: Me, Carla and my daughter, Daisy.

Detectalie: What did you think about that?

Denise: I was surprised, I guess.

Detectalie: Why were you surprised?

Denise: I was surprised because my mom told me that she was only going to leave her estate to me and Daisy.  I don’t understand why she would give anything to Carla, who she barely even knew.

Detectalie: Did you tell your mom that?

Denise: No. I was in shock, I guess.  And, I really didn’t have time to because of what happened.

Detectalie: Why would Carla be angry?

Denise: I don’t know. Maybe because she thought she was going to get everything from mom.

Detectalie: Why would she think that?

Denise: Well, she told me a few months ago that mom said she was more of a daughter to her than me.  My mom was always giving money and stuff to Carla and maybe she thought that she would get it all when mom died.  I was shocked by what she said.  There were no witnesses to our conversation, but luckily, I secretly recorded the whole conversation.

Detectalie: How long have you known Carla?

Denise: Only a couple of years.  She started helping out my mom after my step-dad, Earl, passed away.

Detectalie: You said earlier that Carla had quite the temper.  How do you know that?

Denise: My mom told me that.  She also said that Carla had been let go from her last caregiver job because she had a “run-in” with the elder she was caring for.  I asked Ivan about it one time and he told me that Carla got fired from a care home where she worked one time for pushing an elder out of his chair but that it was “no big deal.”

Detectalie: Did that bother your mom?

Denise: Well, she said that Carla told her about it when she was hiring her, but that she didn’t get into any specifics.  It worried me at first, but mom always said that Carla was good to her.

Detectalie: Did Carla ever get physical with your mom?

Denise: I don’t know, my mom never said anything to me.

Detectalie: Is there anything else you want to tell me?

Denise: I really think that you should talk to Carla and her boyfriend, Ivan.  I don’t think Ivan is here legally, either.

Detectalie: Is that all?

Denise: Yes.