Cody resident Kailey Kline, 23, may never know what caused her to suffer seizures and fall into a coma on New Year’s Eve, but her mother remains convinced law enforcement hasn’t done enough to get to the bottom of what happened.
Kline and her mother Amber Espinoza allege that on New Year’s Eve, Kline had her drink spiked with antifreeze at the popular Silver Dollar Bar in Cody, causing her to be airlifted and hospitalized in Billings, Montana, for nearly a week. Findings released last Friday in a Cody police investigation found no connection to poisoning and led to a Park County prosecutor announcing that the case was closed.
Kline declined to speak with Cowboy State Daily about the case as she said her and her mother are actively seeking legal counsel.
Espinoza told Cowboy State Daily she respectfully disagrees with several conclusions drawn from the investigation, which she believes highlights its lack of thoroughness. She said out of the 16 interviews conducted for the investigation, no members of Kline’s medical team were spoken to even though Kailey signed a release for this to happen.
“The investigation's focus on a single statement amidst hundreds of pages of medical documentation and no healthcare provider interviews, overlooked critical aspects of Kailey’s health history, presentation, and diagnoses,” Espinoza said in a statement provided to Cowboy State Daily.
Cody police say they found no evidence of poisoning and last Friday, Park County Attorney Bryan Skoric wrote a letter, saying that Kline’s medical emergency appeared to have stemmed from other factors than antifreeze.
“In summary, nothing from your investigation yielded any evidence that anyone poisoned Ms. Kline,” Skoric wrote in his letter closing the case.
Determinations
In his letter, Skoric said Kline was “heavily intoxicated” when emergency services were called for her, with medical records estimating her blood alcohol content at nearly twice the legal limit for driving. Kline has denied this conclusion, saying she only had a small quantity of alcohol at the bar.
A nurse at St. Vincent Regional Hospital in Billings that Cowboy State Daily spoke on the condition of anonymity said it was “most likely” Kline was poisoned with antifreeze. However, Skoric says ethylene glycol was never mentioned in any of Kline’s doctor’s notes beyond testing for the substance.
Due to the relative speed that antifreeze metabolizes in the body, it can’t be officially confirmed that’s what Kline was poisoned with, but her body did immediately respond when given the antidote for this substance.
Skoric also pointed to a prescription Kline had for Wellbutrin, an antidepressant that when mixed with alcohol can cause seizures.
Espinoza said her daughter wasn’t taking Wellbutrin at the time, which she says raises questions about her condition at the time of the incident.
Skoric said a neurologist consulted for the case determined that Kline likely suffered from multiple factors on New Year’s Eve, including alcohol consumption, taking Wellbutrin, her gastric sleeve and “possible intoxicating substance from a stranger at the bar.”
“Importantly, the neurologist's consult notes do indicate that an unknown toxin could have been given to her by a stranger, which raises significant concerns that have not been adequately addressed,” Espinoza said. “This investigation appears to exhibit confirmation bias and does not sufficiently focus on the thoroughness of the medical records or actual medical team.”
A medical examiner consulted on the case said he would have expected to see a high level of acidity in Kline’s bloodstream if she had been poisoned with antifreeze, yet there was nothing of the sort. A medical report Espinoza shared with Cowboy State Daily shows a trace amount of antifreeze was found in her system when taken into the hospital, but likely not enough for law enforcement to make a case out of.
The examiner also said Kline would have had to drink a large amount of antifreeze for it to become toxic since the alcohol would have counteracted the ethylene glycol, Skoric said.
He said a person suspected of poisoning Kline was interviewed, with no evidence or any motivating factors found that the male did it. Video surveillance from the bar was also inspected.
“Although not conclusive either way, nothing was captured on camera to suggest any tampering of drinks occurred,” Skoric wrote.
Hazy Account
Espinoza said her daughter rarely goes out drinking, but her friends convinced her to celebrate the new year at the Silver Dollar, one of the most popular nighttime establishments in Cody. There has been no evidence so far showing that the bar or anyone affiliated with it had anything to do with spiking Kline’s drink that night. Still, representatives from the Silver Dollar expressed doubt about the allegations Kline made in a statement to Cowboy State Daily last week.
“Ms. Kline’s account of the night has unfortunately changed multiple times, and the toxicology report does not align with her claims,” the bar said in a statement.
The Silver Dollar also noted how it is one of the few establishments with bouncers and “take extensive measures to maintain a safe environment.”
Espinoza said as a result of The Silver Dollar’s comments, her daughter is now facing bullying and harassment.
“This is particularly distressing as she remains a victim of an unsolved and open case, struggling to heal from her trauma,” Espinoza said. “It is vital for investigations to prioritize the well-being of victims and create an environment that supports their healing process. My daughter as well as our community deserves a higher standard of thoroughness in investigative cases.”
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
