Saturday, January 30, 1999
Police dog included in estate's lawsuit
Woman's death blamed on careless search
BY DAVID ECK
Enquirer Contributor
UNION TOWNSHIP — Township officials — and even their police dog — are among more than a dozen defendants named in a wrongful death lawsuit filed over the 1997 exposure death of a woman found in Fairfield.
Blanche Koehler, 29, was found frozen to death in January 1997, one day after she was reported missing. The suit was filed in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court by Lynda Boyer of Hamilton, who is Ms. Koehler's sister and administrator of her estate.
According to the suit, in late December 1996 Ms. Koehler was admitted to Christ Hospital for treatment of a mental disorder and a possible personality disorder. She was discharged days before her death.
Shortly after being released to her mother, Ms. Koehler was reported missing. The Fairfield Police Department conducted a search, assisted by a Union Township police dog.
The suit alleges that Fairfield police carelessly and/or negligently performed the search for Ms. Koehler and did not use such search equipment as infrared lights or a helicop ter. The suit further says that the dog Union Township provided for the search was not adequately trained.
Union Township Administrator David Gully said Mrs. Boyer's lawyers never asked about the training or qualifications of the township's police dogs.
“She is suing everybody over this thing,” he said. “The township has to spend taxpayer dollars to defend itself against these lawsuits.”
Other defendants include Christ Hospital, Practical Psychiatry, the Butler County Mental Health Board, the Butler County commissioners, Fairfield and the Fairfield Police Department.
Fairfield and county officials said the suit is being reviewed.
Administrators at Practical Psychiatry would not comment on the suit. Officials at Christ could not be reached.
Mrs. Boyer is asking in excess of $25,000. She did not return calls on Friday seeking comment.
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