Kitty Hawk mother died from a blow to the head, autopsy reveals
A Kitty Hawk woman died from a blow to the head that could have been accidental or intentional, according to the findings of her autopsy.
LeeAnn Fletcher Hartleben, a 38-year-old mother, was found unresponsive in her home July 22 with blood stains in several rooms. She died three days later.
How her head was struck — and by what — was “undetermined,” according to a report from the Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, obtained by The Virginian-Pilot.
Contributing factors to her death were “hepatic cirrhosis” and “clinical hepatic failure,” the report said. Hepatic relates to the liver.
Hartleben’s family says the autopsy confirms their suspicions of foul play.
“It said exactly what I thought it was going to say,” said Trisha Cahoon, Hartleben’s cousin. “LeeAnn died because she was murdered.”
Cahoon, a nurse, said she believes that the head injury prevented Hartleben not getting enough oxygen, causing her liver and other organs to fail.
Cahoon started a social media campaign called “Justice for LeeAnn” shortly after her death. She criticizes Kitty Hawk police and the district attorney for the region, Andrew Womble, of not immediately pursuing murder charges against Hartleben’s 28-year-old boyfriend Jay Tolson.
He was named early by police as a person of interest. Tolson has not responded to an attempt to reach him.
She posted a long video on YouTube that shows blood in several rooms of Hartleben’s house, on clothing, walls, doors and floors. An initial medical report shown in the post says Hartleben was bruised on her shoulders, arms, breasts, abdomen and chest. Cahoon believes that came from a beating.
The video includes the audio recording of the 911 call made on July 22 by Tolson, who tells a dispatcher he found her unresponsive in the bathtub. He said he believed she had been drinking the night before and fell in the kitchen. Hartleben was transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and died July 25.
Investigators have called for patience.
“We are reviewing the autopsy along with the other evidence in this case to determine whether or not to bring charges,” Womble said.
Jeff Hampton, 252-491-5272, jeff.hampton@pilotonline.com
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