Kirchner, Robin Wit

September 2, 2008

Today's date is September 2, 2008. The time now is 1306 hours. My name is Detective Terry Jones. My Code number is 6354. I'm with the Louisville Metro Police Department. This interview pertains to file #08-197. Uh, it's a death investigation involving Victim, Max Gilpin. This interview is being conducted at 3209 Mid-Dale Lane, and present is Danny Harrell. He's with the Jefferson County Board of Education Security. And this interview is of Ms. Christy Robin Kirchner.

Jones

At this time, Ms. Kirchner, can you identify yourself?

Kirchner

Uh, Robin Kirchner. Christy Robin Kirchner.

Jones

And your date of birth?

Kirchner Jones

And address?

Kirchner

3209 Mid-Dale Lane

Jones

And phone number?

Kirchner Jones

Are you aware this interview is being taped?

Kirchner

Yes.

Jones

Okay.

If you would, uh, refer back to, uh,

Page 2 of 13 Statement: Christy Robin Kirchner / Case #08197(C) Date: September 2, 2008

August 20, 2008. You were attending a soccer game? Kirchner

Yes.

Jones

Okay. Can you, uh, tell me what you was doin' that day, other… I mean, watching the game, and, and tell me what you observed while there.

Kirchner

We got there, uh, right about 5:30. The game had already started. Uh, we went in, found somewhere to sit. Uh, there were no bleachers or anything, so everybody was kind of piled up in the middle between the football players who were practicing and the soccer game that was goin' on. Uh, so we were just on a patch of grass in between the two fields. Uh, for the most part, my attention was directed at the soccer field, 'cause I was there watchin' my daughter play. Uh, on several occasions, uh, my attention was drawn away because of some loud yelling from the coach on the football team. I don't remember exactly what he was saying. I just remember thinkin' that it just didn't seem like that kind of talking was necessary. Exact comments, I don't remember. Uh, at one point after we had been at the game for 15, 20 minutes, uh, I noticed four boys walkin' towards the water that was on the far side of the soccer field, and the coach yelled at them "Did I tell you that you could get some water? Get back over here." Uh so the boys turned around and, and went back to the practice field. I didn't really notice anything else for awhile. Uh. I at one point got up to take my daughter to the restroom and, and noticed that the boys were still over there runnin'. Uh, at that point, I saw, uh, a big pile

Page 3 of 13 Statement: Christy Robin Kirchner / Case #08197(C) Date: September 2, 2008

of pads and jerseys and stuff, so I remembered thinkin', well, at least they're, you know. Shedding some of their equipment. 'Cause it was just so hot out there that day, and, uh… Jones

So…

Kirchner

…Uh…

Jones

So during this time, uh, while you was there, you said you arrived around 5:30?

Kirchner

Yeah.

Jones

And how many, uh, parents or folks was there to, uh, watch the game?

Kirchner

To watch the game, I'd say there was, uh, at least 25 to 30 people.

Jones

Okay. And your position as it relates to the practice field, u, you say it was in front of you or behind you or what?

Kirchner

It, my back was to the practice field.

Jones

And your attention was directed to towards someone raisin' their voice at the players?

Kirchner

Yeah.

Jones

And describe that person to me.

Kirchner

Uh, he was a tall, kind of stockyish white man, uh, and the thing that struck me the most is he had on, uh, one of those funny like safari-type hats.

Jones

Okay. What color was it?

Page 4 of 13 Statement: Christy Robin Kirchner / Case #08197(C) Date: September 2, 2008

Kirchner

Uh, I think it's like a khaki color...

Jones

And his other clothing description, if you can remember?

Kirchner

I know he had on shorts. I'm not sure what kind of shirt he had on. Might 'ave been just a T-shirt.

Jones

Okay. So this was the one that, that brought, that got your attention…

Kirchner

Yeah.

Jones

…'cause he's raising his voice at the players?

Kirchner

Yes.

Jones

And, and could you remember the specifics of what he was sayin' to the players or yellin' at the players?

Kirchner

I don't remember any, any specific comments. I just remember thinkin' to myself that it just, that they were berating comments. That it just didn't seem like that kind of talk was necessary. And I made a comment to my ex-husband, Bryan, about it, and he said, "Yeah, I don't miss those days." So I assumed, okay. Well, that's just how football coaches talk to their kids.

Jones

Okay. Uh, you stated that there was four players. Were they dressed in full gear…

Kirchner

At that…

Jones

…that tried to get water?

Page 5 of 13 Statement: Christy Robin Kirchner / Case #08197(C) Date: September 2, 2008

Kirchner

Yeah. At that point, I feel, I feel fairly certain they were still in full gear.

Jones

So they walked, uh, between the soccer field and the practice field, uh, between the, uh, crowd, or between the parents, and tried to get water?

Kirchner

Yeah. They…

Jones

Did they…

Kirchner

…They came…

Jones

Go ahead. I'm sorry.

Kirchner

They came across the end of the football practice field and kind of cut the corner on the soccer field and headed over towards the water. 'Cause the water's sittin' kind of caddy-corner to everything. It's over in the corner.

Jones

And that was pretty, at a distance from these guys. Right?

Kirchner

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Jones

So they, uh, attempted to get water, and the coach, or the one you described as being a coach, yelled, what?

Kirchner

He yelled, "Did I tell you, you all could get water? Come back over here?"

Jones

What did the players do at this point?

Kirchner

They turned around and they walked back to the, to the practice field.

Page 6 of 13 Statement: Christy Robin Kirchner / Case #08197(C) Date: September 2, 2008

Jones

Did they give a reaction to, uh, what the coach told them?

Kirchner

No. Uh, they really just had dead-pan faces, you know. I mean, uh, clearly, they were disappointed.

Jones

So describe these players. How did they look? How, how were these particular players looking? I mean, as far as…

Kirchner

They looked…

Jones

I mean, as far as these players.

Kirchner

They looked hot and sweaty and red and tired.

Jones

And they, the coach ordered 'em back onto the field. And the time that you arrived there, to the time that these players tried to get water, how many minutes had already passed?

Kirchner

We'd been there a good 20 minutes.

Jones

So 20 minutes, while you were there observing the soccer game, you observed four players attempted to get water.

Kirchner

Yes.

Jones

And the coach ordered 'em back over to the field.

Kirchner

Yes. And that's the first time I saw any players over there.

Jones

Okay. And… Give me a second. And what would a player, what would the, what would the team, what was the entire team doin' at the

Page 7 of 13 Statement: Christy Robin Kirchner / Case #08197(C) Date: September 2, 2008

time as far as training? Kirchner

They were runnin.

Jones

They were runnin'?

Kirchner

Uh-huh.

Jones

And how long do you think they'd been running? Were, were they running before you got there?

Kirchner

Uh…

Jones

Or they led up to this running as you were arriving?

Kirchner

It seems, it seems like, if my memory is servin' me correctly, it seems like they were kind of filterin' onto the field the same time we were comin' out.

Jones

Okay. So…

Kirchner

I mean, they were there, but they weren't active yet. They were, you know, like getting' their stuff together.

Jones

Okay. So you eventually seen running drills, correct?

Kirchner

Yes. Yes.

Jones

Okay. Did you see any other type of drills that they, they were doin'?

Kirchner

I did not see them do anything but run.

Jones

And how, how long do you think they, they had

Page 8 of 13 Statement: Christy Robin Kirchner / Case #08197(C) Date: September 2, 2008

been running? Kirchner

They ran the whole time.

Jones

Did you at any time see any players become ill?

Kirchner

I did not actually see any of that.

Jones

Did you, uh, hear any comments from any players regarding, uh, a break, regarding needing water, or anything like that?

Kirchner

Other than those four boys tryin' to get it, I did not hear anything like that.

Jones

So…

Kirchner

I mean, I was concentrated on the soccer game, you know, so that, a lot of that stuff, uh, just didn't sink in.

Jones

Danny, you have anything?

Harrell

Do you remember if they were still running after the first period, soccer period?

Kirchner

They were still over there, yeah.

Harrell

Okay. How long is a soccer period?

Kirchner

Uh, they're about 40 minutes.

Harrell

About 40 minutes?

Kirchner

Yeah.

Harrell

So it would 'ave been after 6:00, and they would 'ave been running?

Page 9 of 13 Statement: Christy Robin Kirchner / Case #08197(C) Date: September 2, 2008

Kirchner

Yes.

Harrell

Uh, do you know if they were running when the soccer game started back up again?

Kirchner

You know, it seems like… Yes. Yes. They were. Yes. They were.

Harrell

And how long was that break after the first period.

Kirchner

It was only like five minutes. minutes.

Harrell

Okay. So probably 45 minutes after you got there, they're probably still running?

Kirchner

Yeah.

Jones

And at any time, did you see a, uh, team water break? Did they, did they ever break as a team to get water, or individuals? Did you ever see anyone do that?

Kirchner

Uh, towards the end of our game, so…

Jones

Which is what time?

Kirchner

It's 6:35, 6:40., right in there, uh, there was a, a group of boys over at the water fountain.

Jones

And is this at the conclusion of their training?

Kirchner

It seemed to be.

Jones

Okay. 'Cause they were not running no drills no more, right?

Five or six

Page 10 of 13 Statement: Christy Robin Kirchner / Case #08197(C) Date: September 2, 2008

Kirchner

This was already after the ambulance came.

Jones

Okay. Oh, I'm sorry. There's a person that was transported, and this is after that person has been transported. A player, to your knowledge?

Kirchner

Okay. Wait a minute. I'm getting' confused. I went to the bathroom, came back. They were still runnin'. That was right before the ambulance came. So in my mind lookin' back at it, it seems to me like all of that stuff had happened… The two boys got sick… I didn't know any of that stuff happened. I just… I didn't know any of that stuff happened, and then, there was a group of kids at the water fountain, and just a few minutes after that, is when an ambulance came.

Jones

So there were two other players that got ill?

Kirchner

I only saw them take away the white boy…

Jones

In the ambulance?

Kirchner

…in the ambulance. I didn't even know there was a second one that got sick until I read it in the paper.

Jones

Okay. So this is based on what you saw physically…

Kirchner

Yeah. This is just…

Jones

…and not what you were told?

Kirchner

…just what I saw. Not, not what I heard or anything.

Page 11 of 13 Statement: Christy Robin Kirchner / Case #08197(C) Date: September 2, 2008

Jones

Okay. So, uh, but you never saw him get ill. You just said there had been an ambulance, uh, your opinion, at the end of the practice, and you saw…

Kirchner

Yeah. That seemed to kind of make everything stop.

Jones

Okay. And at, at some point, uh, the players were able to get water. Correct?

Kirchner

Yes.

Jones

I mean, what I'm, what I'm referring to this is the, near the end of the practice, after the ambulance had arrived, that they were able to get water?

Kirchner

Yeah.

Jones

Okay. Uh, and you, you're not sure if it was after the ambulance arrived or before the ambulance arrived?

Kirchner

No. It was before. It was before.

Jones

They got water before the ambulance arrived?

Kirchner

Yeah.

Jones

But, uh, not within 20 minutes, not within 40 minutes?

Kirchner

No. Just a couple of minutes. minutes.

Jones

Okay.

Kirchner

Ten at the very least.

Just a few

Page 12 of 13 Statement: Christy Robin Kirchner / Case #08197(C) Date: September 2, 2008

Jones

But they had been training…

Kirchner

Yeah.

Jones

…They had been running for quite awhile.

Kirchner

Yeah.

Jones

And to your estimation, how long you think they'd been running before they were able to get, get that water break?

Kirchner

It had to be almost an hour.

Jones

From 5:30?

Kirchner

5:30. Yeah.

Jones

'Til after 6:00?

Jones

Yeah. 6:15, 6:20. It had to 'ave been that long.

Jones

So for 45 minutes to an hour, they had been doin' some type of exercise, some type of training based on your observation?

Kirchner

Yeah.

Jones

Danny, you have anything else?

Harrell

No.

Jones

Okay. I think we have covered everything. Is there somethin' I need to ask you? Somethin' important? Somethin' that we, we did not cover?

Kirchner

I can't think of anything. I really wish I could

Page 13 of 13 Statement: Christy Robin Kirchner / Case #08197(C) Date: September 2, 2008

remember more. Jones

Okay. And if, if we have to, we'll get back with you and do a follow-up interview with you.

Kirchner

Okay.

Jones

But at this time, we will conclude the interview, uh, if there are no further questions, at 1319 hours.

END OF STATEMENT File #08197cjones-jj