Friday, September 14, 2018

SPORTS, 6 SCHOOLS, 4 INSIDE

Congrats, county Ready to Time to
champs! win a car? spruce up

Vol. XC, No. 74 www.batesvilleheraldtribune.com $1.00

ONLINE
• Southeasterners brace
for Hurricane Florence.
• Huge stockpile of water
FEMA brought to Puerto
Rico was never distributed.
• Search continues in
Alaska for missing 10-year-
old girl.
• Pussy Riot activist
treated for possible poison-
ing in Russia.
• Vigo County mother
pickets on behalf of son
who was shot to death at
party.
• Excess bugs shut down
an Indianapolis McDonald’s.
• FDA declares vaping
Two murder charges for 14-year-old
DEBBIE BLANK ics and police responded to 13, with her daughter Desiree
T H E H E R A L D -T R I B U N E a residence in Osgood” was in a towel. “Christina said
the way his account began. Nickalas told her that he did
V E R S A I L L E S – Tw o Desiree McCartney, 2, was not think Desiree was feel-
criminal investigations that unresponsive at 238 S. Maple ing good because she was not
remained tightly under wraps St. talking to him.” When the
for over 16 months were When mother Christina toddler didn’t respond to her
revealed by Ripley County McCartney arrived home name or being shaken, the
Prosecuting Attorney Ric from work around 6:45 p.m. mother began performing
Hertel at a Sept. 12 morning she told investigators “she CPR and told fiance Stephen
press conference in the Ripley walked toward the dining Ritz to call 911, according to
County Annex. room” and saw oldest son
“On May 1, 2017, paramed- Nickalas Kedrowitz, then See MURDER on 12
Ripley County Prosecutor Ric Hertel (from left) lays out the case while Chief
Deputy Prosecutor Shane Tucker and Indiana State Police Detectives Peter Tressler,
Brent Miller, Kip Main and Tom Baxter listen. Of the amount of time that has occurred
since the crimes and legal proceedings, the prosecutor nodded to the detectives behind
him and said, “I’ve been patient with these guys. They’ve been patient with me. Some-
thing like this you don’t want to rush into.” Debbie Blank | The Herald-Tribune

Should off-road vehicles

“epidemic” among teens.
• Magistrate resigns after
Ohio courtroom incident.
PACKED HOUSE AS ISSUE DEBATED
• Updated: ISU probes
racially charged messages
left outside dorm room.
be allowed in the city?
DIANE RAVER on Batesville streets “could
T H E H E R A L D -T R I B U N E benefit the city. My family
QUOTE and I and other friends ride
OF THE DAY “An ordinance that allows around in ours and then
golf carts in Batesville was stop for dinner. There are
passed a few years back, sometimes 15-20 people that
“Even a mistake and I was just curious to can’t come into the city limits
may turn out to be see if you would expand it because of the ordinance. You
to Rangers and those types could charge $20-$25 per
the one thing of vehicles,” Brad Lunsford vehicle to allow them in town.
necessary to a asked Batesville City Council “You spend a lot of money
worthwhile members Sept. 10. on these things so you can
R e f e r r i n g t o U T Vs , cruise around and have fun
achievement.” utilit y task vehicles or .... (Because they are not
HENRY FORD side-by-sides, small two-to- allowed in the city), I can’t
Debbie Blank | The Herald-Tribune four-person four-wheel drive take my kids to soccer prac-
Postal Delivery Information “The goal of Batesville Aviation Services is to provide the community with an asset off-road vehicles, Lunsford tice (in my vehicle).
that can be used by many. We do not intend to disrupt the neighborhood with an asked, “I was wondering if “Just allowing them on the
unsafe business,” said Shorty Whittington (from right), addressing the crowd with there was any reason it (the downtown streets will bring
Eddie Perry. ordinance) couldn’t include in some business. We could
those vehicles?”

Car racing at
Allowing them to be driven See OFF-ROAD on 2

airport stalls
DEBBIE BLANK
T H E H E R A L D -T R I B U N E
BROOKVILLE – Batesville
Aviation co-owner Shorty
Whittington stood in the
doorway looking worried.
There were close to 70
attendees, including many
airport neighbors, waiting
for the Sept. 12 Franklin
County Area Plan Commis-
sion to start. He probably
suspected they weren’t all
supporters of car racing at
the airport two Saturdays a
month.
Infinite-Speed, Cincin-
nati, co-owner Eddie Perry,
who leases space from Whit-
tington, was there seeking a
conditional use permit to
allow an outdoor commercial
enterprise in Ray Town-
ship Sections 1, 2 and 12 on
Enochsburg Road.
A s s e t s t h at pr omote
communit y revenue are
impor tant, Whittington
pointed out. “Having that
specific asset can prove ben-
eficial in attracting other
businesses to the area.”
Perry explained, “What
we’re trying to do is find a Diane Raver | The Herald-Tribune
safe haven ... for street cars After being sworn in as a full-time firefighter, Scott
to race at.” He observed own- Robbins (center) is congratulated by (from left) his
mother, Bonnie Robbins; daughter Brooklynn, 5; Bates-
See RACING on 9
ville Fire Chief Todd Schutte; and Mayor Mike Bettice.

ONLINE
Like
Apples highlight fall fest Trojans go retro for homecoming
us on DIANE RAVER
Facebook T H E H E R A L D -T R I B U N E
Follow A ut u m n i n B ate s v i l le
us on
wouldn’t be the same without
Twitter the Kiwanis Club of Bates-
batesvilleheraldtribune.com ville’s Applefest.
The annual festival takes
place Saturday, Sept. 22, from
11 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday,
THANKS FOR Sept. 23, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
READING at Liberty Park (please see
box). For 29 years, the event
has provided a weekend of
Judy Schath, McCords-
ville, and Dennis Wester-
feld, Batesville, we thank
you for your subscriptions. Applefest
Join them by calling 812-
934-4343, Ext. 115. Liberty Park
Saturday, Sept. 22
Your Hometown 11 a.m. – Booths open
Newspaper Since 1891 11:30 a.m. – Lone Wolf &
Friends, Master Dwenger’s
Martial Arts
1 p.m. – Royalty pageant
food, fun, music, crafts and,
of course, apples for residents
and visitors to enjoy.
Dave and Judy Eckstein of
Villa Orchard, Oldenburg, will
have apples for sale just as the
family has for 28 years by sell-
ing many varieties, including
Gala, Yellow Delicious, McIn-
tosh, Cortland, Empire and
Winter Banana, reports his
mom, Julie Eckstein.
See APPLES on 2
3 p.m. – Eureka Band
4 p.m. – Shannon Amber
Sunday, Sept. 23
11 a.m. – Booths open
noon – Michael Kelsey
Both days: food, children’s
games, interactive pioneer
living exhibits, trackless
train rides, bounce houses
WILL FEHLINGER
T H E H E R A L D -T R I B U N E
If you’re seeing more bell
bottoms, feathered hair and
polyester shirts than normal
around the East Central High
School campus this week,
that can mean only one thing
– it’s Homecoming 2018.
As the Trojans prepare to
welcome the neighboring
Batesville Bulldogs to Trojan
Field Friday, Sept. 14, much Will Fehlinger | The Herald-Tribune
of St. Leon will be going retro East Central High School celebrates 2018 Home-
under the banner of “That coming Friday, Sept. 14. This year’s court includes (from
‘70s HOCO.” left) Liam Jones, Claire Rolfes, Gar Ertle, Lauren Greiwe,
“Homecoming is some- Stephen Doll, Natalie Kuhn, Luke Kelly, Lily Greiwe,
thing students look forward
Kasey Carr, Mya Cook, Colton Lloyd, Hailey May and
to every year,” said Grant Leo Maxwell. Not pictured: Katie Doll.
Schiering, who advises the
ECHS Student Council along to a time they only know of before,” noted Schiering.
with fellow teacher Pam through popular culture and To that end, council mem-
Donohue. their parents’ photo albums. bers began a snazzy T-shirt
The student council spear- “We decided on (That 70’s) campaign featuring no fewer
headed the annual fall event because it was something
and a majority voted to return the school had never done See TROJANS on 9
12
MURDER
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
the probable cause affida-
vit written by Indiana State
Police Detectives Brent Miller
and Peter Tressler and filed in
Ripley Circuit Court.
R itz told detectives he
was bathing Desiree when
two other children, Abby, 1,
and Nathaniel Ritz, 8 months,
began crying in the living
room. He went to check on
them, asking Nickalas to
go into the bathroom with
Desiree. The teen said he left
her alone for about 5 minutes
while getting some wipes.
When the man returned, the
toddler was lying in the tub,
not breathing.
The 23-month-old was
transported to Margaret Mary
Health, Batesville, then trans-
ferred to Cincinnati Children’s
Hospital Medical Center,
where she died five days later.
Indiana State Police began an
investigation led by Miller.
The Indiana Department of
Child Services “began a sepa-
rate and distinct investigation
at that same period of time,”
the prosecutor reported. IDCS
filed a CHINS (child in need of
services) petition about Nick-
alas Kedrowitz.
Dr. Karen Looman, Ham-
ilton County, Ohio, deputy
coroner, said the death was of
an undetermined cause, the
court document stated. Were
authorities concerned? Her-
tel answered, “Anybody who
was in that home at the time
of that first death had to be
considered a suspect.”
Eighty-one days later, the
blended family ate supper
and watched T V together
July 20, 2017. Kedrowitz is
the son of McCartney and
Brian Kedrowitz, currently
incarcerated at New Cas-
tle Correctional Facilit y
Ground Zero exhibit in Indianapolis through February 2019
Indianapolis Mayor Joe
Hogsett along with state and
local leaders took part in a
tree planting ceremony at the
Indiana War Memorial Sept. 8
in remembrance of those who
lost their lives during the Sept.
11 attacks 17 years ago.
The tree planted during
the ceremony is a sapling
from a Callery pear tree that
withstood the attacks and
after pleading guilty to child
molesting. Nathaniel Ritz’s
parents were Stephen Ritz and
another woman, not McCart-
ney.
The teen told detectives he
helped get the meal ready,
cleaned up afterwards and did
some laundry.
Around 11 p.m. McCart-
ney asked Nickalas to tuck
Nathaniel, now 11 months,
into bed while she went into
her bedroom to change. After
a few minutes, the son told his
mother, “‘Something is not
right with Nathaniel, he is not
acting right,’” according to the
affidavit. Kedrowitz reported
“he noticed Nathaniel was
not moving, so he went and
checked on him and he was
cold and looked bright white.”
A not her 911 c a l l a nd
CPR. Once again paramedics
and police took the child to
MMH shortly after midnight.
“The next day Nathaniel Ritz
was pronounced dead.”
Hamilton County Coroner’s
Office forensic pathologist Dr.
Dorothy Dean performed an
autopsy July 22, 2017, but was
unable to determine the cause
of death. “The autopsy exami-
nation did not reveal evidence
of acute injury, congenital
anomalies, a toxicology agent
or any infectious etiology. Dr.
Dean indicated that further
investigative correlative infor-
mation was recommended,”
the affidavit stated.
Red f lags started to be
raised about “two investi-
gations that did have some
overlap. Both acts happened
at the same home in Osgood,”
the prosecutor pointed out.
When asked about pre-
vention of the second death,
Hertel advised, “I think you’ll
have to talk to the Department
of Child Services about that ...
I don’t think now is a particu-
larly great time to cast stones
at another agency. Now we
was replanted in 2010 at the
memorial in New York City
after much rehabilitation by
the New York City Department
of Parks and Recreation.
“ The tree was once
burned and broken and now
has smooth, blossoming
branches,” said Paul McCor-
mack, retired NYPD deputy
inspector. “The sapling from
the tree that is now planted in
Friday, September 14, 2018 | The Herald-Tribune
want to work together to move
forward and achieve some
sort of justice .... and hold the
individual accountable who
committed the crimes.”
The office of Michelle Rus-
sell, IDCS director in Ripley
County, Versailles, had no
comment later Sept. 12. The
Herald-Tribune was referred
to IDCS director of com-
munications Erin Murphy,
Indianapolis, to get questions
answered. Noelle Russell,
deputy director of commu-
nications, did not answer
specifics, saying, “Unfortu-
nately, Indiana confidentiality
laws prohibit us from com-
menting on DCS involvement
(or lack thereof) with a fam-
ily.”
ISP began learning about
“rather disturbing statements
that the 13-year-old was mak-
ing to ... some of the other
family members ... who were
not in the home at the time of
either death. Following that,
Pandora’s box started opening
up,” reported the prosecutor.
On Sept. 11, 2017, Miller and
Tressler interviewed Bob and
Candice Barker, a great-un-
cle and -aunt with whom the
teen sometimes stayed when
his uncle and guardian was
at work. “Candice said Nick-
alas was currently failing all
of his classes and also had
been involved in some fights
(at school) ... Candice said his
temper was so bad sometimes
he reminded her of the ‘Hulk.’”
T he g r e at- au nt told
i n v e s t i g at or s t he w e e k
before Kedrowitz had muti-
lated two kittens. One had
scratched him “and he got
mad and squeezed (it) really
hard” to the point the bloody
kitten’s insides were hanging
out and had to be destroyed by
the great-uncle.
The detectives ques-
tioned Kedrowitz at his uncle’s
home Dec. 13, 2017. The teen
Hoosier soil in commemora-
tion of the lives lost on Sept.
11, 2001, stands as living proof
of America’s resiliency and
survival in the face of terror.”
McCormack made the jour-
ney to Indiana with family
members of first responders
who lost their lives during
the deadliest terror attack on
American soil. They are trav-
eling the United States with
declared he was a Christian
and had a Bible. “Nickalas
then began to tell us about
some dreams he had after they
had died. Nickalas started
talking about saving Desiree
and Nathaniel from hell and
the chains of fire. Nickalas
said he had help from an angel
to free them.”
They asked about how the
children had died. Kedrow-
it z was cr y ing when he
admitted putting a towel over
Desiree’s head on the floor
outside of the tub “to set her
free to heaven.” He also put a
blanket over Nathaniel’s head.
Kedrowitz said “he just
didn’t want them to live in
the hell that he had to live in.”
When asked to define hell, the
young man replied, “Chores.”
He had a list of many duties,
according to Miller.
The teen told his great-
aunt a day later he pressed
the blanket down on the
11-month-old where his nose
and mouth would be and also
killed his half sister to protect
them from Ritz, according to
the legal document.
Hertel recalled, “The cause
of deat h wa s somewhat
uncertain at the time. Once
they got this clearer history
(Kedrowitz statements), they
were able to amend their find-
ings.” In a Jan. 22 amended
autopsy repor t, L ooman
ruled Desiree McCartney’s
cause of death was asphyxia
due to smothering, “by his-
tory and the manner of death
as a homicide. Dr. Looman
reported that due to the new
information learned by the
investigators and the psycho-
logical evaluations, she was
able to come to that conclu-
sion.”
Likewise, Dean changed her
autopsy report Jan. 18 to state
Nathaniel Ritz died due to
“asphyxia due to smothering.”
More investigation resulted
the Ground Zero 360 Exhi-
bition.
The exhibit is comprised of
photos, stories and donated
artifacts from 9/11, allowing
Hoosiers to take a step back in
the past and feel what 8 mil-
lion New Yorkers were feeling
in the days that followed the
attacks and cost 3,000 Amer-
icans their lives.
“The Ground Zero 360
www.batesvilleheraldtribune.com
in the now 14-year-old being
detained under a R ipley
County court order Aug. 28.
Kedrowitz was taken to the
Dearborn County Juvenile
Detention Center, Lawrence-
burg, where he waited for
two days until Ripley Circuit
Court Judge Ryan King found
the juvenile to be “a danger to
himself and the community”
during a detention hearing.
On Sept. 6 the prosecutor’s
office filed a petition alleging
delinquency and two counts
of murder in juvenile court.
During a Sept. 10 initial
hearing, “several things did
happen,” according to Her-
tel. Kedrowitz was read the
petition against him, the judge
ordered a competency evalu-
ation and a second attorney
was appointed.
The state filed a petition
to waive the teen into adult
court. Before that decision is
made, a competency hearing
must occur. The prosecutor
explained, “This child will
be evaluated by two doctors,”
who will submit reports to the
court. The judge will decide
if Kedrowitz is competent to
stand trial. “Does he under-
stand the proceedings around
him and can he assist in his
own defense?”
If found incompetent, the
young man would be placed in
a facility until he gains compe-
tence. If that happens, “we will
move forward in a trial.”
The juvenile is “obviously
very young” to be waived into
adult court, Hertel acknowl-
edged. Indiana Code states
three conditions must be
met: the crime has to be mur-
der, there is probable cause
and the defendant must be
at least 12, “unless it’s in the
best interest of the child to
stay in juvenile court and of
the safety and welfare of the
community.” The prosecutor
said he believed the petition
Exhibition serves as a pow-
erful reminder of the tragedy
that our country faced on Sept.
11, 2001,” said the mayor. “In
the wake of the attacks that
September morning, brave
Hoosiers stepped forward,
as they always do, to assist
their brothers and sisters in
critical rescue and recovery
efforts. Now, with the plant-
ing of this tree, we will have
to waive is appropriate, but
the judge will decide.
He has never charged a
child this young with murder
before. “It didn’t come with-
out some discussion” with
Indiana State Police. “There is
some concern” if Kedrowitz’s
case is kept in juvenile court,
he could be released from a
facility at 18.
“I can’t predict the future.
If we base future behavior on
past behavior, we potentially
look at additional problems of
great magnitude.”
He said the two adults,
McCartney and Ritz, have
been “fairly cooperative ...
about what they recalled.”
They have moved away from
Osgood, the mother to Indi-
anapolis, and both have
lawyers now.
Hertel said, “I wouldn’t rule
out the possibility” of those
adults facing charges. “Right
now the focus is on Nickalas.
Whether they were negligent
or should have done some-
thing, I don’t know if it rises to
the level of criminal conduct.”
“I won’t say I wasn’t sur-
prised and shocked at what
happened here,” he said,
emphasizing, “Nickalas is pre-
sumed innocent until proven
guilty” in either juvenile or
adult court.
“It’s a puzzle. I think the
pieces that law enforcement
have put together paint the
picture. Are there some pieces
we’d like to have? Sure.” Lack-
ing videos of events, “we’ll
never know exactly what hap-
pened.”
When asked about the
teen’s motivation to kill two
young children, the prosecu-
tor answered, “I don’t know.
Maybe the doctors who exam-
ine him can shed some light.”
“In my time here, 19 years,
I’m not sure I’ve seen any-
thing so disturbing, so final
as something like this.”
a permanent reminder of the
incredible courage shown by
first responders in our coun-
try’s time of need.”
Hoosiers can v isit the
Ground Zero 360 Exhibition
(www.groundzero360.org)
now through February 2019
at the Indiana War Memorial
Museum, 55 E. Michigan St.,
Wednesday-Sunday from 9
a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free.