No problem with rape case kits here

After seeing Springfield TV reports of problems with rape case kits in Greene County, the Sun contacted local officials to see if there were any similar problems in El Dorado Springs or Cedar County. There are not.

El Dorado Springs Police Chief Jarrod Schiereck said, “All our rape kits we keep in evidence and turn them into the Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Lab for processing for DNA, etc. They generally come back with a DNA profile. From there, we can work on the case and work on identifying that person. The only time we wouldn’t send a rape kit to the lab is if that victim came to the station and recanted his or her story. Other than that, it stays in our system until it has successfully gone through court. After that, we receive a destruction order from the court to dispose of it.”

“We apply for the destruction order, the prosecutor has to approve it and the judge issues the order.”

“The evidence kit is actually collected by emergency room nurses and doctors. Then we go up and receive it from them.”

“Our goal on a rape case is to get that down to the lab as soon as we can.”

He said the return time depends on how busy the crime lab is which covers all of Southwest Missouri.

Cedar County Prosecutor Ty Gaither said he does not know of any problems with maintaining the integrity of rape kits.

“That hasn’t really been a problem for us.”

“At some point, there will be an order for destruction after the kit has been used.”

He said there is no backlog with the Troop D crime lab.