A grand jury was recently convened on the death of 8-year-old Gideon Cook and decided on no indictment for the offense of reckless homicide will be issued in this case.
According to a news release from the Warsaw Police Department, due to law requiring confidentiality of grand jury proceedings, no information can be disclosed of the presentation details to the grand jury and the reasons for the grand jury’s decision.
Cook’s family has been notified of the jury’s decision prior to this release.
On June 10, Warsaw police and other first responders were dispatched to the area of Husky Trail and North Pointe Drive for a car vs. pedestrian accident reported at that intersection. Officers found Cook suffering from extensive injuries and life-saving measures were taken to aid Cook at that time, the release states.
He was rushed by ambulance to Fort Wayne Lutheran Hospital and while on the way, EMS personnel diverted to Whitley Parkview in Columbia City where Cook was pronounced dead from his injuries by hospital staff at Parkview.
Cook had just finished second-grade at Harrison Elementary School.
During the investigation, it was found that 24-year old Raven L. Loubert of Tippecanoe, operating a black 2008 Nissan Sentra, had come to a stop on North Pointe Drive, preparing to make a left turn onto Husky Trail to travel north. It was during this left turn that she struck Cook, who was in the crosswalk crossing Husky Trail.
As the investigation unfolded, Loubert cooperated with investigators working the fatal accident. This included a consensual blood draw at the time of the accident as well as a consensual search of her cellular phone. Additionally, multiple witnesses were interviewed who observed the collision and remained on the scene to assist investigators.
During those witness interviews, it was revealed that the victim had started to run across the street in front of a vehicle preparing to turn left. This caused that vehicle to stop abruptly. When this occurred, Cook returned to the east side of the intersection and the SUV continued with its left turn. This vehicle, believed to be a white or silver Ford Focus, was in front of the black Nissan Sentra driven by Loubert. Police captured surveillance video of that SUV from the interior feed of a Warsaw Community Schools bus and had it broadcast through news sources and social media. Investigators, with assistance of the media, attempted to locate the driver of that white or silver Ford for an interview; however, those attempts proved unsuccessful.
Upon conclusion of this investigation, all information was turned over to the Kosciusko County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for a review of possible charges.
The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office convened a grand jury and addressed the investigation of this case. The grand jury decided upon a “No Bill,” which means that no indictment for the offense of reckless homicide will be issued in this case.
