1 00:00:02,140 --> 00:00:04,420 He's been in the news recently because of a bitter family 2 00:00:04,420 --> 00:00:09,060 dispute, but radio legend Casey Kasem died today at the age of 82. 3 00:00:09,060 --> 00:00:13,940 For over four decades, Casey Kasem was the voice of America... 4 00:00:13,940 --> 00:00:17,500 I'm Casey Kasem. These are the most popular songs in the USA. 5 00:00:17,500 --> 00:00:21,340 ..and indisputably the country's most beloved DJ. 6 00:00:21,340 --> 00:00:23,500 Welcome to 'America's Top 10'. 7 00:00:23,500 --> 00:00:27,420 Famed for his friendly charm, his weekly 'Top 40 Countdown' 8 00:00:27,420 --> 00:00:30,780 was an unmissable event for millions of music lovers. 9 00:00:30,780 --> 00:00:35,140 Of all the radio personalities in history, Casey was number one. 10 00:00:35,140 --> 00:00:40,060 At 3.23am on 15 June, 2014, 11 00:00:40,060 --> 00:00:42,940 Casey Kasem died at a Washington State Hospital. 12 00:00:42,940 --> 00:00:45,660 He was 82 years old. 13 00:00:48,020 --> 00:00:51,340 But, at the time of his death, his wife, Jean, and the children from 14 00:00:51,340 --> 00:00:55,420 his first marriage were battling over his healthcare. 15 00:00:55,420 --> 00:01:00,380 Just weeks before he passed away, Jean had removed Casey from 16 00:01:00,380 --> 00:01:03,780 the hospital against medical advice. 17 00:01:03,780 --> 00:01:06,860 A nationwide manhunt ensued. 18 00:01:06,860 --> 00:01:11,540 We had no idea where he was, none at all. We were kind of in a panic. 19 00:01:13,420 --> 00:01:15,780 His death certificate is highly unusual 20 00:01:15,780 --> 00:01:19,220 in that, under the cause of death, they have listed 'pending'. 21 00:01:19,220 --> 00:01:23,340 So was this a natural death of an elderly man 22 00:01:23,340 --> 00:01:27,180 or did something far more sinister happen? 23 00:01:40,500 --> 00:01:44,900 Dr Michael Hunter is a world-renowned forensic pathologist. 24 00:01:45,940 --> 00:01:48,780 He's performed over 4,000 autopsies 25 00:01:48,780 --> 00:01:51,660 to investigate and reveal causes of death. 26 00:01:52,500 --> 00:01:55,500 Today he's the Chief Medical Examiner 27 00:01:55,500 --> 00:01:58,020 in one of America's biggest cities. 28 00:01:59,140 --> 00:02:02,500 These are the medical papers related to Casey Kasem, 29 00:02:02,500 --> 00:02:06,380 and they're going to tell me what was happening in the weeks, days 30 00:02:06,380 --> 00:02:08,780 and hours leading up to his death. 31 00:02:13,220 --> 00:02:14,940 9am. 32 00:02:14,940 --> 00:02:17,700 6 May, 2014. 33 00:02:17,700 --> 00:02:19,860 Santa Monica, California. 34 00:02:19,860 --> 00:02:23,140 Five weeks before his death. 35 00:02:23,140 --> 00:02:27,580 Now 82, Casey Kasem resides in a private convalescent hospital. 36 00:02:29,140 --> 00:02:32,340 Five years since recording his last radio show, 37 00:02:32,340 --> 00:02:36,060 he's bedridden and in need of round-the-clock nursing care. 38 00:02:36,940 --> 00:02:40,100 The first thing I notice when I look at his medical records is that 39 00:02:40,100 --> 00:02:42,780 Casey was suffering from a number of conditions. 40 00:02:42,780 --> 00:02:45,140 He has osteoarthritis. 41 00:02:45,140 --> 00:02:48,580 If severe, that would explain his loss of mobility. 42 00:02:48,580 --> 00:02:51,100 He also has a condition called anaemia, which is 43 00:02:51,100 --> 00:02:54,500 a lower than normal amount of red blood cells in his system. 44 00:02:54,500 --> 00:02:59,380 He also has hypothyroidism, and that's an underactive thyroid. 45 00:02:59,380 --> 00:03:03,340 And that's also associated with fatigue as well as depression. 46 00:03:03,340 --> 00:03:06,940 But, treated appropriately, none of these are out of 47 00:03:06,940 --> 00:03:09,500 the ordinary for a man in his 80s. 48 00:03:11,580 --> 00:03:16,820 In 1953, as rock'n'roll was about to kickstart teen culture, 49 00:03:16,820 --> 00:03:21,820 Casey Kasem returned from the Korean War to get his start in radio. 50 00:03:21,820 --> 00:03:27,500 Once Casey decided on a career in radio, that was his passion. 51 00:03:27,500 --> 00:03:30,780 He worked early in the morning till late at night. 52 00:03:30,780 --> 00:03:32,660 He was a perfectionist. 53 00:03:32,660 --> 00:03:36,580 Basically no-one worked harder than Casey Kasem. 54 00:03:37,500 --> 00:03:41,340 Throughout the '60s and '70s, Casey's career blossomed. 55 00:03:41,340 --> 00:03:47,420 And, on 4 July, 1970, he launched the show that would make him famous, 56 00:03:47,420 --> 00:03:49,940 'American Top 40'. 57 00:03:49,940 --> 00:03:53,580 I'm Casey Kasem, and these are the most popular songs in the USA. 58 00:03:53,580 --> 00:03:57,060 Casey didn't have the deepest voice. 59 00:03:57,060 --> 00:03:59,820 He didn't have the strongest voice. 60 00:03:59,820 --> 00:04:02,220 But his voice became incredible, 61 00:04:02,220 --> 00:04:05,100 and it became sort of the soundtrack of our lives. 62 00:04:05,100 --> 00:04:09,940 At its height, 'American Top 40' reached eight million listeners, 63 00:04:09,940 --> 00:04:12,100 making Casey a household name. 64 00:04:12,100 --> 00:04:15,460 We're over 100 stations now. We're in all the major markets. 65 00:04:15,460 --> 00:04:17,580 And, knock on wood, things are going just great. 66 00:04:17,580 --> 00:04:22,380 By the start of the '80s, the show had migrated to network television. 67 00:04:22,380 --> 00:04:26,500 And he was also in demand as a voice artist, famously playing 'Shaggy' 68 00:04:26,500 --> 00:04:29,700 in the hit cartoon series 'Scooby Doo'. 69 00:04:29,700 --> 00:04:32,100 Scoob, it's up to you to follow their trail. 70 00:04:32,100 --> 00:04:34,460 We also have thousands of... 71 00:04:34,460 --> 00:04:37,540 He really gave a 110% to everything he did, 72 00:04:37,540 --> 00:04:39,820 whether it was work or his family. 73 00:04:39,820 --> 00:04:41,780 He was amazing. 74 00:04:43,940 --> 00:04:48,180 Throughout his career, Casey remained devoted to his family, 75 00:04:48,180 --> 00:04:52,780 including son Mike, and daughters Julie and Kerri. 76 00:04:52,780 --> 00:04:56,180 Family was the most important thing to my father - his kids, 77 00:04:56,180 --> 00:04:58,180 his mom, his brother. 78 00:04:58,180 --> 00:05:00,860 We never took vacations 79 00:05:00,860 --> 00:05:03,580 unless they were to go see family back in Michigan. 80 00:05:03,580 --> 00:05:05,820 When we said, "Dad, why don't we go somewhere? 81 00:05:05,820 --> 00:05:07,940 Let's go to Hawaii. Let's go somewhere fun. 82 00:05:07,940 --> 00:05:10,140 All the other kids get to go to Mexico." 83 00:05:10,140 --> 00:05:14,780 But every single vacation I took with my dad was back to 84 00:05:14,780 --> 00:05:18,500 Detroit, Flint, Fenton, where all the family lived. 85 00:05:18,500 --> 00:05:20,140 He was the ideal dad. 86 00:05:20,140 --> 00:05:23,780 He put family first. He put his children above everything. 87 00:05:23,780 --> 00:05:30,220 He was so present and so dedicated to us. 88 00:05:30,220 --> 00:05:36,180 But the price of Casey's success was the failure of his marriage in 1980. 89 00:05:36,180 --> 00:05:40,780 Just six months later, still grieving from the split, 90 00:05:40,780 --> 00:05:45,540 he met aspiring actress Jean Thompson, 22 years his junior. 91 00:05:48,740 --> 00:05:50,300 Casey worshiped Jean, 92 00:05:50,300 --> 00:05:54,460 and he thought she was the greatest thing in the world. 93 00:05:54,460 --> 00:05:59,100 But it was obvious to everyone that there were family issues 94 00:05:59,100 --> 00:06:01,380 between the kids and his wife, Jean. 95 00:06:03,700 --> 00:06:08,300 In 1990, Casey and Jean had a daughter, Liberty. 96 00:06:09,100 --> 00:06:11,500 Casey stayed in close contact with the children 97 00:06:11,500 --> 00:06:14,860 from his first marriage, seeing them every week. 98 00:06:14,860 --> 00:06:17,260 But cracks began to show. 99 00:06:18,020 --> 00:06:19,820 "Hi, Jean. Is Dad there?" 100 00:06:20,580 --> 00:06:22,660 "Who's this?" 101 00:06:24,300 --> 00:06:28,700 "It's Kerri." Every single time we called, we were so 102 00:06:28,700 --> 00:06:33,700 confused as kids, why she would do things that were just mean. 103 00:06:33,700 --> 00:06:37,540 And I wanted her to like me so badly. I wanted her to like me. 104 00:06:40,928 --> 00:06:42,728 By the start of the '90s, 105 00:06:42,728 --> 00:06:47,288 Casey was earning $3 million a year for his DJ'ing alone. 106 00:06:47,888 --> 00:06:54,088 But in 2007, now in his '70s, his doctors dropped a bombshell. 107 00:06:54,088 --> 00:06:58,048 I can see that Casey was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, 108 00:06:58,048 --> 00:07:00,968 and that's a neurodegenerative disorder 109 00:07:00,968 --> 00:07:02,928 mainly affecting the motor system. 110 00:07:02,928 --> 00:07:08,088 It's very serious. But oftentimes suffers can lead comfortable lives, 111 00:07:08,088 --> 00:07:11,608 and the progression of this can be gradual over time. 112 00:07:13,968 --> 00:07:18,448 But soon his daughter Julie, also an end of life caregiver, 113 00:07:18,448 --> 00:07:20,888 noticed other symptoms that didn't add up. 114 00:07:20,888 --> 00:07:24,088 The one thing that was different was he would hallucinate when he 115 00:07:24,088 --> 00:07:26,128 would come over to our house. 116 00:07:26,128 --> 00:07:31,248 And we thought, "Gosh, this does not really seem like Parkinson's. 117 00:07:31,248 --> 00:07:33,608 Something else seems to be going on here." 118 00:07:36,008 --> 00:07:38,328 His records show that Casey was actually suffering from 119 00:07:38,328 --> 00:07:43,768 a more aggressive condition called Lewy Body Dementia. 120 00:07:43,768 --> 00:07:46,448 It is caused by a build-up of proteins. 121 00:07:46,448 --> 00:07:51,328 Lewy bodies are neuro receptors in the brain which stop the production 122 00:07:51,328 --> 00:07:55,688 of chemicals vital to mental and physical ability. 123 00:07:55,688 --> 00:07:58,848 Many of the symptoms are similar to Parkinson's, 124 00:07:58,848 --> 00:08:01,328 but there's one major difference. 125 00:08:01,328 --> 00:08:05,888 Patients suffer a much more rapid cognitive decline. 126 00:08:07,808 --> 00:08:12,928 By 2009, it was clear that Casey could no longer host his radio show. 127 00:08:13,888 --> 00:08:18,008 On 4 July, he recorded his last 'Top 40 Countdown'. 128 00:08:18,008 --> 00:08:21,008 He signed off his career just as he had 129 00:08:21,008 --> 00:08:24,768 every show for nearly four decades with his trademark catchphrase. 130 00:08:25,688 --> 00:08:30,008 "Keep your feet on the ground, but keep reaching for the stars." 131 00:08:30,008 --> 00:08:33,528 That was very, very difficult for him. His work was his life. 132 00:08:33,528 --> 00:08:39,368 I mean, that's what gave him so much joy and purpose. 133 00:08:40,928 --> 00:08:44,648 In 2007, Casey had given his daughter, Julie, 134 00:08:44,648 --> 00:08:47,048 Power of Attorney over his healthcare. 135 00:08:48,528 --> 00:08:52,168 But, as his health deteriorated in 2011, 136 00:08:52,168 --> 00:08:56,128 Jean claimed Casey had handed her control. 137 00:08:58,008 --> 00:09:01,608 It's a claim that would escalate into a toxic feud 138 00:09:01,608 --> 00:09:05,608 when Jean began to deny his children access to him. 139 00:09:05,608 --> 00:09:09,568 It was very clear to me what his wishes were. 140 00:09:09,568 --> 00:09:14,288 And we said to our dad, "Dad, we're concerned that, if you get too sick 141 00:09:14,288 --> 00:09:17,088 to the point that you can't make medical decisions for yourself or 142 00:09:17,088 --> 00:09:19,768 communicate your wishes, we're never gonna see you again." 143 00:09:25,648 --> 00:09:29,608 11am. 6 May, 2014. 144 00:09:29,608 --> 00:09:33,848 Berkley East Convalescent Hospital, Santa Monica. 145 00:09:33,848 --> 00:09:37,368 Casey is in the advanced stages of dementia. 146 00:09:37,368 --> 00:09:39,968 He can no longer walk and can barely talk. 147 00:09:43,608 --> 00:09:47,488 He has not seen his daughters, Kerri and Julie, for four months. 148 00:09:48,288 --> 00:09:50,648 They have been unaware of his whereabouts 149 00:09:50,648 --> 00:09:54,608 until gossip site 'TMZ' tip them off. 150 00:09:54,608 --> 00:09:57,768 They pay their father a surprise visit. 151 00:09:58,608 --> 00:10:02,288 We walked into his room at Berkley East, and he 152 00:10:02,288 --> 00:10:06,368 literally just kind of sat up a bit and had this huge smile. 153 00:10:06,368 --> 00:10:09,168 I will never forget the look on his face. 154 00:10:09,168 --> 00:10:11,088 He looked great. 155 00:10:12,408 --> 00:10:15,248 His skin was flushed. He had colour. 156 00:10:15,248 --> 00:10:17,488 His cheeks were full. 157 00:10:17,488 --> 00:10:21,168 The staff was in the room with us when we were there, and they said, 158 00:10:21,168 --> 00:10:25,768 "Oh, my gosh. We have never seen him so animated and talk so much." 159 00:10:26,928 --> 00:10:30,048 After three hours catching up with his daughters, 160 00:10:30,048 --> 00:10:31,968 visiting time is over. 161 00:10:31,968 --> 00:10:34,408 We said, "Dad, we have to go," 162 00:10:34,408 --> 00:10:37,288 and we're kissing him and hugging him. We said, "We'll be back." 163 00:10:37,288 --> 00:10:41,568 No. And he said really loudly, "When?" 164 00:10:41,568 --> 00:10:43,888 You could see him just 165 00:10:43,888 --> 00:10:46,448 almost panic, like, "When? 166 00:10:46,448 --> 00:10:48,648 When are you coming back?" 167 00:10:49,888 --> 00:10:51,968 He was fine when we saw him. 168 00:10:51,968 --> 00:10:54,128 Yes, he was sick, 169 00:10:54,128 --> 00:10:55,728 but he was OK. 170 00:10:59,728 --> 00:11:02,768 I can see from the Berkley East Hospital records that, 171 00:11:02,768 --> 00:11:06,008 despite having advanced stage Lewy Body Dementia, 172 00:11:06,008 --> 00:11:07,688 his condition is quite stable. 173 00:11:07,688 --> 00:11:12,808 His weight, his skin condition and medical observations tell me 174 00:11:12,808 --> 00:11:14,128 that he's in pretty good shape. 175 00:11:14,128 --> 00:11:17,808 He's comfortable and he appears to be free of pain. There's nothing 176 00:11:17,808 --> 00:11:21,768 here that suggests that there is any immediate threat to his life. 177 00:11:23,088 --> 00:11:27,528 So the question I have is why, just five weeks later, did he die? 178 00:11:34,194 --> 00:11:38,834 12.10am. 7 May, 2014. 179 00:11:38,834 --> 00:11:40,834 Santa Monica, California. 180 00:11:43,434 --> 00:11:48,274 Casey's wife, Jean Kasem, arrives at Berkley East Hospital. 181 00:11:49,114 --> 00:11:53,394 According to the on-duty nurse, Jean is concerned that the hospital 182 00:11:53,394 --> 00:11:55,554 had allowed Kerri and Julie Kasem 183 00:11:55,554 --> 00:11:59,994 to see Casey the previous day without consulting her first. 184 00:12:08,434 --> 00:12:11,714 Kerri Kasem had staged a vigil in front of the hospital 185 00:12:11,714 --> 00:12:15,834 on Casey's birthday ten days previously. 186 00:12:16,554 --> 00:12:19,834 Jean now thinks that someone from Berkley East 187 00:12:19,834 --> 00:12:22,354 is leaking information to the press. 188 00:12:25,554 --> 00:12:29,554 Claiming the hospital can no longer guarantee Casey's privacy, 189 00:12:29,554 --> 00:12:32,074 she tells the nurse 190 00:12:32,074 --> 00:12:34,954 that she is removing her husband from their care. 191 00:12:37,914 --> 00:12:41,194 The nurse warns Jean that to take Casey home 192 00:12:41,194 --> 00:12:43,434 is against medical advice. 193 00:12:43,434 --> 00:12:48,714 His records show just how dependent on nursing care he has become. 194 00:12:55,714 --> 00:12:58,714 I can see that Casey was suffering from dysphagia, 195 00:12:58,714 --> 00:13:02,754 and that's common in people who have end stage dementia. It affects 196 00:13:02,754 --> 00:13:06,994 the muscles of the neck and causes an inability to properly swallow. 197 00:13:06,994 --> 00:13:11,274 Because of this, the doctors at Berkley East were feeding Casey 198 00:13:11,274 --> 00:13:14,754 through a gastrostomy tube, also known as G-tube. 199 00:13:14,754 --> 00:13:17,434 This is a thin, plastic pipe that 200 00:13:17,434 --> 00:13:22,074 goes through the skin and abdominal wall, and allows a liquid nutrition 201 00:13:22,074 --> 00:13:26,194 and medications to be directly administered into the stomach. 202 00:13:28,634 --> 00:13:32,554 According to Casey's medical records, Jean Kasem was informed 203 00:13:32,554 --> 00:13:36,714 about the dangers of disconnecting his nutritional lifeline. 204 00:13:36,714 --> 00:13:39,434 Disconnecting him from the G-tube is something 205 00:13:39,434 --> 00:13:41,194 that few doctors would recommend. 206 00:13:41,194 --> 00:13:46,714 It puts him at increased risk for infection, internal bleeding 207 00:13:46,714 --> 00:13:48,714 and possibly even death. 208 00:13:52,274 --> 00:13:56,074 But at 2.30am, having refused to sign 209 00:13:56,074 --> 00:14:00,834 the discharge papers, Jean removes Casey from the hospital's care. 210 00:14:03,474 --> 00:14:07,714 My father was bed bound, and he was on a feeding tube. 211 00:14:07,714 --> 00:14:10,914 If you're going to transfer someone like that, you need to do it on a 212 00:14:10,914 --> 00:14:13,234 gurney with an ambulance transport. 213 00:14:16,434 --> 00:14:20,074 Jean Kasem loads her husband into an SUV, 214 00:14:20,074 --> 00:14:22,754 helped by a privately-hired caregiver. 215 00:14:27,354 --> 00:14:29,914 Against doctors' orders and nurses begging her 216 00:14:29,914 --> 00:14:32,834 not to, she put him in an SUV 217 00:14:32,834 --> 00:14:35,034 and took off. 218 00:14:36,794 --> 00:14:40,354 I knew that we were in trouble, 219 00:14:40,354 --> 00:14:41,834 and that he was in trouble. 220 00:14:48,074 --> 00:14:51,834 According to his children, this wasn't the first time Jean's actions 221 00:14:51,834 --> 00:14:53,994 had jeopardized Casey's health. 222 00:14:53,994 --> 00:14:59,834 As Casey's dementia progressed, Jean Kasem began restricting access 223 00:14:59,834 --> 00:15:01,194 to her three stepchildren. 224 00:15:01,194 --> 00:15:03,554 It was excuse after excuse. 225 00:15:03,554 --> 00:15:06,474 "Oh, his driver's mother is sick." 226 00:15:06,474 --> 00:15:09,434 "OK, get another driver. 227 00:15:09,434 --> 00:15:13,514 Let's send a car for him." There was always an excuse. 228 00:15:13,514 --> 00:15:16,434 And then, finally, Julie's calling me saying, 229 00:15:16,434 --> 00:15:18,354 "Jean's not letting us see Dad." 230 00:15:18,354 --> 00:15:22,194 Kerri started to worry about the impact of isolation 231 00:15:22,194 --> 00:15:23,714 on her dad's health. 232 00:15:23,714 --> 00:15:26,274 With any illness, one of 233 00:15:26,274 --> 00:15:30,634 the biggest buffers to helping you cope, although it may not cope with 234 00:15:30,634 --> 00:15:35,034 the illness directly, is social support, is that family support. 235 00:15:35,914 --> 00:15:40,554 When Casey's health went into significant decline in 2013, 236 00:15:40,554 --> 00:15:44,194 the situation became impossible to tolerate. 237 00:15:44,194 --> 00:15:48,194 In October, eight months before his death, 238 00:15:48,194 --> 00:15:51,554 Kerri and Julie hadn't seen their dad for nearly three months. 239 00:15:51,554 --> 00:15:54,354 Kerri decided to act. 240 00:15:54,354 --> 00:15:57,554 I gotta protest. I gotta let people know what she's doing. 241 00:15:57,554 --> 00:15:59,714 And it was just gonna be me with a sign that said - 242 00:15:59,714 --> 00:16:03,194 outside of his house saying, "Jean, why won't you let me see my dad?" 243 00:16:04,714 --> 00:16:09,994 But then I thought, "Wait. She's not letting anybody see Dad, 244 00:16:09,994 --> 00:16:15,194 not his brother, cousins, uncles, aunts, his dearest friends. 245 00:16:15,194 --> 00:16:18,554 Nobody could see my dad. 246 00:16:18,554 --> 00:16:21,274 I'm gonna convince them all to come and protest." 247 00:16:21,274 --> 00:16:25,714 We have Gonzalo here, who was my dad's right-hand man for 27 years. 248 00:16:25,714 --> 00:16:28,714 We have my dad's producer, 'American Top 40' producer 249 00:16:28,714 --> 00:16:30,914 here, 15 years... 250 00:16:30,914 --> 00:16:32,994 She can't get through to him and they used to each lunch once 251 00:16:32,994 --> 00:16:36,554 a month. So these are all people that have known my father 252 00:16:36,554 --> 00:16:38,474 for 30, 40, 50, 60 years. 253 00:16:39,554 --> 00:16:41,434 In response to the demonstration, 254 00:16:41,434 --> 00:16:45,434 Jean Kasem's lawyers drew up a visitation agreement. 255 00:16:45,434 --> 00:16:50,634 It limited his children to one 60-minute visit every other Sunday. 256 00:16:50,634 --> 00:16:53,634 When my sister and brother signed the agreement to see my dad, 257 00:16:53,634 --> 00:16:57,434 how often did we see him? Zero. 258 00:16:59,714 --> 00:17:04,274 Jean Kasem's response to Casey's daughters' unscheduled visit on 259 00:17:04,274 --> 00:17:08,794 6 May, 2014, was to remove him from the hospital. 260 00:17:11,074 --> 00:17:14,074 Casey's condition requires continuous medical 261 00:17:14,074 --> 00:17:16,474 monitoring by nurses and doctors. 262 00:17:17,634 --> 00:17:21,914 So, for Jean to suddenly remove him from this level of care, 263 00:17:21,914 --> 00:17:26,314 would place him at increased risk for fatal complications. 264 00:17:28,634 --> 00:17:32,834 But the saga surrounding Casey Kasem's death is about to take 265 00:17:32,834 --> 00:17:37,994 a dramatic twist as a nationwide manhunt ensues. 266 00:17:37,994 --> 00:17:41,834 Kasem was checked out of his private care facility last Tuesday. 267 00:17:41,834 --> 00:17:44,354 Now his children are seeking answers from Kasem's current 268 00:17:44,354 --> 00:17:46,074 wife about where he might be. 269 00:17:46,074 --> 00:17:48,994 We had no idea where he was, none at all. 270 00:17:48,994 --> 00:17:50,874 Umm, we were kind of in a panic. 271 00:17:50,874 --> 00:17:53,914 Did he go back to his house? Was he transferred to another facility? 272 00:17:53,914 --> 00:17:57,914 We had no idea, and we knew she wasn't gonna tell us. 273 00:17:57,914 --> 00:18:01,194 When I thought that I was not gonna be able to be with my dad, 274 00:18:01,194 --> 00:18:04,234 it was the most gut-wrenching feeling. 275 00:18:04,234 --> 00:18:09,154 The emotion was anger, frustration, helplessness. 276 00:18:10,994 --> 00:18:12,314 I just - I had to find my dad. 277 00:18:15,034 --> 00:18:18,434 Removed from continuous medical care, he's now at 278 00:18:18,434 --> 00:18:24,074 risk for malnutrition, dehydration and infection leading up to death. 279 00:18:24,074 --> 00:18:27,434 But the records show that the day after removing him, 280 00:18:27,434 --> 00:18:31,354 Jean Kasem hired a registered nurse to attend to his needs. 281 00:18:31,354 --> 00:18:35,714 So the precise reason for his death remains unclear. 282 00:18:38,798 --> 00:18:41,358 10 May, 2014. 283 00:18:41,358 --> 00:18:43,958 Beverly Hills, California. 284 00:18:43,958 --> 00:18:48,238 Casey's at the mansion he has shared with his wife since 1989. 285 00:18:49,798 --> 00:18:53,278 Three days after removing her husband from the hospital, 286 00:18:53,278 --> 00:18:57,518 Jean Kasem is organizing a road trip for the ailing star. 287 00:18:58,638 --> 00:19:03,038 Deep in his medical records, Dr Hunter finds evidence to suggest 288 00:19:03,038 --> 00:19:07,558 that Jean Kasem's actions may have directly led to Casey's demise. 289 00:19:07,558 --> 00:19:09,598 Casey was suffering from chronic 290 00:19:09,598 --> 00:19:14,518 atrial fibrillation, a potentially life-threatening heart condition. 291 00:19:15,838 --> 00:19:19,678 Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, 292 00:19:19,678 --> 00:19:23,518 meaning an irregular, often rapid heartbeat. 293 00:19:23,518 --> 00:19:26,198 Disorganized electric signals make the heart's 294 00:19:26,198 --> 00:19:31,318 two upper chambers of the atria squeeze very fast and out of sync. 295 00:19:34,798 --> 00:19:40,238 A major cause of atrial fibrillation is stress. For the past six months, 296 00:19:40,238 --> 00:19:44,758 Casey has been placed by his wife into four separate facilities, 297 00:19:44,758 --> 00:19:48,958 finally ending up in Berkley East in February, 2014. 298 00:19:48,958 --> 00:19:53,958 Now, five weeks before his death, Jean Kasem is moving him again. 299 00:19:53,958 --> 00:19:57,278 It shattered all of our hopes. 300 00:19:57,278 --> 00:19:59,718 It was just such a blow. 301 00:19:59,718 --> 00:20:02,918 Atrial fibrillation increases 302 00:20:02,918 --> 00:20:06,798 the risk of developing clots within the chambers of the heart. 303 00:20:06,798 --> 00:20:08,638 And this can cause a stroke 304 00:20:08,638 --> 00:20:13,038 where blood supply is cut off to certain areas of the brain. 305 00:20:13,038 --> 00:20:16,638 The risk of stroke can be increased by five times. 306 00:20:16,638 --> 00:20:19,678 And the older you are, the higher at risk you are. 307 00:20:22,198 --> 00:20:26,478 Dementia patients are known to benefit from structure and routine. 308 00:20:26,478 --> 00:20:29,718 So could the stress from these constant interventions 309 00:20:29,718 --> 00:20:32,038 be connected Casey's death? 310 00:20:34,478 --> 00:20:38,278 I can find no evidence that Casey experienced heart failure 311 00:20:38,278 --> 00:20:41,718 or a stroke related to his atrial fibrillation. 312 00:20:41,718 --> 00:20:45,838 The reason for Casey's death rests elsewhere. 313 00:20:45,838 --> 00:20:50,238 Early morning. 11 May, 2014. 314 00:20:50,238 --> 00:20:52,038 Nevada. 315 00:20:52,038 --> 00:20:54,878 Four days after having last seen their father, 316 00:20:54,878 --> 00:20:58,518 Casey's daughters still have no idea where he is. 317 00:20:58,518 --> 00:21:03,678 They hire private investigator Logan Clarke to help track him down. 318 00:21:03,678 --> 00:21:05,838 Terrible. It was a terrible situation. 319 00:21:05,838 --> 00:21:08,998 And he needed to be found. He needed to be found immediately 320 00:21:08,998 --> 00:21:11,398 if he was gonna live. 321 00:21:11,398 --> 00:21:15,558 According to Casey's medical records, Jean's planning for 322 00:21:15,558 --> 00:21:19,638 transportation was dangerously inadequate from the outset. 323 00:21:19,638 --> 00:21:23,158 His medical records show that Casey was suffering from flexion 324 00:21:23,158 --> 00:21:26,678 contractures. And this is shortening and hardening 325 00:21:26,678 --> 00:21:30,958 of the muscles and tendons resulting in joint rigidity. 326 00:21:30,958 --> 00:21:34,078 Contractures can be extremely painful 327 00:21:34,078 --> 00:21:36,438 and requires frequent physical therapy. 328 00:21:36,438 --> 00:21:41,478 His medical condition calls for professional ambulance transport. 329 00:21:42,238 --> 00:21:44,558 Dr Hunter also discovers 330 00:21:44,558 --> 00:21:47,878 a potentially life-threatening oversight. 331 00:21:47,878 --> 00:21:52,398 Casey is depending on his G-tube for both food and hydration. 332 00:21:52,398 --> 00:21:55,118 When Jean removed him from Berkley East, 333 00:21:55,118 --> 00:21:56,838 she did take the feeding pump... 334 00:21:56,838 --> 00:21:59,678 but she only took two cans of Osmolite. 335 00:21:59,678 --> 00:22:03,158 And that's a nutritional supplement rich in protein that's 336 00:22:03,158 --> 00:22:07,118 used primarily in patients who receive tube feedings. 337 00:22:07,118 --> 00:22:10,918 At appropriate levels, these two cans would have 338 00:22:10,918 --> 00:22:13,518 lasted only a couple of days. 339 00:22:14,238 --> 00:22:17,318 One of the registered nurses hired by Jean Kasem 340 00:22:17,318 --> 00:22:21,598 revealed another failing to private investigator, Logan Clarke. 341 00:22:22,678 --> 00:22:26,278 The machine that they had - the feeding machine - 342 00:22:26,278 --> 00:22:27,838 ran out of food. 343 00:22:27,838 --> 00:22:33,878 So they stopped by a drugstore and bought a thing called Ensure. 344 00:22:35,478 --> 00:22:38,478 Ensure is an over-the-counter nutritional supplement 345 00:22:38,478 --> 00:22:40,438 used in people who can still eat. 346 00:22:40,438 --> 00:22:44,358 It's inadequate in someone who's being fed through a tube. 347 00:22:44,358 --> 00:22:48,278 She poured the Ensure into the machine - 348 00:22:48,278 --> 00:22:50,438 a couple of bottles of it - poured it into the machine. 349 00:22:50,438 --> 00:22:53,238 It clogged the machine, of course. It's not made for that. 350 00:22:53,238 --> 00:22:57,398 So the machine broke. Now they can't feed him. 351 00:22:57,398 --> 00:22:59,438 Deprived of Osmolite, 352 00:22:59,438 --> 00:23:04,398 Casey's at risk from malnutrition and dehydration. 353 00:23:07,518 --> 00:23:10,558 5am. 11 May, 2014. 354 00:23:10,558 --> 00:23:14,598 Vdara Hotel, Las Vegas. 355 00:23:14,598 --> 00:23:18,678 Five weeks before his death, Casey is in his suite. 356 00:23:19,958 --> 00:23:23,798 According to the records, the registered nurse hired by 357 00:23:23,798 --> 00:23:26,238 Jean Kasem examines Casey. 358 00:23:26,238 --> 00:23:29,718 Following a five-hour car journey from Los Angeles, 359 00:23:29,718 --> 00:23:32,598 she has cause for concern. 360 00:23:32,598 --> 00:23:35,718 I can see that the nurse discovered 361 00:23:35,718 --> 00:23:40,358 cracks around the coccyx, and that's signs of a bedsore. 362 00:23:40,358 --> 00:23:45,238 Bedsores, also known as pressure sores or decubitus ulcers, 363 00:23:45,238 --> 00:23:46,798 are injuries to the skin 364 00:23:46,798 --> 00:23:50,398 and underlying tissue as a result of prolonged pressure. 365 00:23:51,318 --> 00:23:54,318 Casey had a bedsore in the same area 366 00:23:54,318 --> 00:23:56,038 in the nursing home several weeks earlier. 367 00:23:56,038 --> 00:23:59,478 But, according to the medical records, that sore had healed. 368 00:23:59,478 --> 00:24:03,518 After five hours in the car, that sore develops again. 369 00:24:03,518 --> 00:24:05,998 Once a sore develops, 370 00:24:05,998 --> 00:24:10,278 they're very difficult to treat, particularly in cases like Casey's 371 00:24:10,278 --> 00:24:13,678 in which it appears he's not receiving adequate nutrition. 372 00:24:17,838 --> 00:24:21,998 12 May, 2014. Las Vegas, Nevada. 373 00:24:23,078 --> 00:24:27,478 After one night in the Vdara Hotel, Jean Kasem puts Casey 374 00:24:27,478 --> 00:24:30,638 on an air ambulance bound for Seattle, Washington. 375 00:24:33,918 --> 00:24:35,478 According to medical records, 376 00:24:35,478 --> 00:24:38,958 there's evidence Casey's health is deteriorating. 377 00:24:38,958 --> 00:24:43,078 Jean Kasem informed the medical staff of the air ambulance that 378 00:24:43,078 --> 00:24:46,518 he'd developed a bedsore about the size of a quarter. 379 00:24:46,518 --> 00:24:50,638 On landing, Casey is then transferred to an ambulance. 380 00:24:50,638 --> 00:24:55,238 The driver of the ambulance was stunned that Casey was 381 00:24:55,238 --> 00:24:59,958 in such bad shape, and had this feeding machine attached to him. 382 00:24:59,958 --> 00:25:02,998 And so he thought, "We're going to the hospital." 383 00:25:04,958 --> 00:25:08,758 But Jean Kasem directs him to the house of a 384 00:25:08,758 --> 00:25:13,638 childhood friend in Silverdale, 60 miles outside Seattle. 385 00:25:13,638 --> 00:25:15,918 With round-the-clock care, 386 00:25:15,918 --> 00:25:18,158 Casey's life could have been prolonged. 387 00:25:18,158 --> 00:25:21,678 But, in just over four weeks, he would be dead. 388 00:25:25,773 --> 00:25:28,613 12 May, 2014. 389 00:25:28,613 --> 00:25:30,733 Silverdale, Washington. 390 00:25:31,373 --> 00:25:35,493 After dropping Casey at the house, the ambulance driver is so concerned 391 00:25:35,493 --> 00:25:39,453 about his condition he contacts the authorities. 392 00:25:39,453 --> 00:25:44,813 The ambulance driver in Washington filed an elder abuse complaint. 393 00:25:44,813 --> 00:25:47,853 And that complaint went to the police department, 394 00:25:47,853 --> 00:25:50,093 and it pinpointed where they were. 395 00:25:50,093 --> 00:25:55,493 When we found out where he was, we were just going, "Why? How? 396 00:25:55,493 --> 00:25:57,893 When is somebody going to intervene? 397 00:25:57,893 --> 00:25:59,933 When can this be stopped?" 398 00:26:00,693 --> 00:26:03,893 Kerri Kasem has just won control 399 00:26:03,893 --> 00:26:06,293 of her father's healthcare in California. 400 00:26:06,293 --> 00:26:10,373 But that judgement isn't recognized in Washington. 401 00:26:11,013 --> 00:26:13,693 Panicked by the ambulance driver's alarm, 402 00:26:13,693 --> 00:26:16,093 she fears the clock is ticking. 403 00:26:16,093 --> 00:26:20,093 We had to go through this whole fight again. 404 00:26:20,093 --> 00:26:24,733 I had to beg the judge to accept my guardianship over my father. 405 00:26:25,413 --> 00:26:28,333 She did everything. When people would have easily 406 00:26:28,333 --> 00:26:31,253 given up and said, "There's no way we're gonna win this battle," 407 00:26:31,253 --> 00:26:32,813 she continued to fight. 408 00:26:32,813 --> 00:26:34,973 Casey's medical records 409 00:26:34,973 --> 00:26:38,173 reveal the family was fighting for good reason. 410 00:26:38,973 --> 00:26:44,493 The following day on 13 May, Casey was visited by Dr Donald Sharman. 411 00:26:44,493 --> 00:26:46,973 He's a physician that was hired by Jean. 412 00:26:46,973 --> 00:26:50,653 He notes that Casey's feeding pump was not working, 413 00:26:50,653 --> 00:26:55,253 which means he was likely malnourished over a period of days. 414 00:26:55,253 --> 00:26:58,853 The impact of this neglect is clear. 415 00:26:58,853 --> 00:27:03,653 The next day, Gentiva Nursing Services, hired to 416 00:27:03,653 --> 00:27:09,533 assist in Casey's care, documented the bedsore to be a stage three, 417 00:27:10,693 --> 00:27:14,733 which means the sore has extended into the tissue beneath the skin. 418 00:27:14,733 --> 00:27:18,373 The skin is now damaged beyond repair. 419 00:27:19,133 --> 00:27:23,053 A week later, Dr Sharman visits again. 420 00:27:23,053 --> 00:27:25,613 The feeding machine is now working, 421 00:27:25,613 --> 00:27:28,893 but Casey's condition appears to be worsening. 422 00:27:28,893 --> 00:27:32,853 Dr Sharman notes a possible secondary infection. 423 00:27:32,853 --> 00:27:35,613 The bedsore needs routine cleaning 424 00:27:35,613 --> 00:27:38,733 in order for infection not to enter the bloodstream. 425 00:27:38,733 --> 00:27:42,093 If it does, this could be fatal. 426 00:27:45,453 --> 00:27:49,133 30 May, 2014. 427 00:27:49,133 --> 00:27:52,613 Kerri Kasem emerges from the Washington State Court 428 00:27:52,613 --> 00:27:57,613 victorious, a three-week battle for her father's care finally over. 429 00:27:57,613 --> 00:28:00,613 It was a victory, but I was scared to death. 430 00:28:00,613 --> 00:28:05,093 She rushes to Silverdale, accompanied by a bodyguard. 431 00:28:06,253 --> 00:28:12,893 We get to the house and there are these geriatric bikers 432 00:28:12,893 --> 00:28:16,453 lining the house like a...like a wall. 433 00:28:16,453 --> 00:28:19,053 And, when I walked up there, they're like, "You're - you are not 434 00:28:19,053 --> 00:28:21,933 coming in today." I was like, "Well, we have a court order. 435 00:28:21,933 --> 00:28:24,293 We're just - I'm gonna see my dad." 436 00:28:24,293 --> 00:28:29,373 At this point, I was so calm and so collected, and had just 437 00:28:29,373 --> 00:28:33,853 the complete and utter focus, which was seeing my dad, 438 00:28:33,853 --> 00:28:35,573 that nothing was going to deter me. 439 00:28:39,013 --> 00:28:41,653 I go into this little tiny bedroom 440 00:28:41,653 --> 00:28:44,533 he's in with a little black and white TV. 441 00:28:44,533 --> 00:28:47,893 And I see him, and he immediately recognizes me. 442 00:28:53,293 --> 00:28:56,653 It's the first time Kerri's seen Casey since she visited him 443 00:28:56,653 --> 00:28:59,653 in the convalescent hospital three weeks earlier. 444 00:29:00,813 --> 00:29:03,733 And I tell him I love him, and I give him a hug. 445 00:29:03,733 --> 00:29:07,573 And I said, "Dad, you look good. You look so young, Dad." 446 00:29:07,573 --> 00:29:09,933 And he goes, "Ahh, I know." 447 00:29:09,933 --> 00:29:14,013 But, privately, Kerri's shocked by her father's appearance. 448 00:29:14,013 --> 00:29:15,093 You look good. 449 00:29:15,093 --> 00:29:18,573 My dad was not doing well. 450 00:29:19,653 --> 00:29:22,733 I knew that he was on a...a major decline. 451 00:29:23,733 --> 00:29:26,733 He was sweating. He was moaning. 452 00:29:27,733 --> 00:29:30,533 He was kinda going in and out, whereas in Berkley East 453 00:29:30,533 --> 00:29:33,213 he didn't go in and out. He was there and present the whole time. 454 00:29:33,213 --> 00:29:37,133 He would furrow his brow. And I went, "Dad, are you in pain?" 455 00:29:37,133 --> 00:29:39,013 And he would just look at me. 456 00:29:39,013 --> 00:29:41,493 And I'm like, "Dad, do you need anything?" 457 00:29:41,493 --> 00:29:43,773 And he really couldn't answer. 458 00:29:45,733 --> 00:29:50,613 Dr Hunter's investigation reveals the cause of Casey's pain. 459 00:29:51,773 --> 00:29:55,733 According to the medical records, Dr Sharman ordered intramuscular 460 00:29:55,733 --> 00:29:59,373 injection of antibiotics, and this would be painful. 461 00:29:59,373 --> 00:30:04,173 More significantly, in the accompanying medical records, 462 00:30:04,173 --> 00:30:08,093 I can't see any indication that he was prescribed pain medication such 463 00:30:08,093 --> 00:30:11,453 as opiates to treat him for the discomfort of his ulcer, 464 00:30:11,453 --> 00:30:15,213 his contractures and, to a lesser degree, 465 00:30:15,213 --> 00:30:16,973 the intramuscular injections. 466 00:30:19,173 --> 00:30:21,533 Two days later, paramedics arrive 467 00:30:21,533 --> 00:30:25,573 to transport Casey to the hospital for a court-ordered examination. 468 00:30:25,573 --> 00:30:29,173 I just had chills all over my body. I was like, "Oh, my gosh. 469 00:30:29,173 --> 00:30:32,653 Finally, finally my dad's going to be in proper hands." 470 00:30:32,653 --> 00:30:37,093 But, during the ambulance ride, Casey takes a turn for the worse. 471 00:30:37,093 --> 00:30:40,733 The scariest ride of my life. 472 00:30:40,733 --> 00:30:44,453 My dad's blood pressure kept dropping, and he kept going in 473 00:30:44,453 --> 00:30:48,413 and out. And I was so terrified. 474 00:30:49,653 --> 00:30:51,293 1pm. 475 00:30:51,293 --> 00:30:56,373 Casey arrives at St Anthony's Hospital in Gig Harbor, Washington. 476 00:30:57,133 --> 00:31:01,933 He's in a serious condition and is immediately examined by doctors. 477 00:31:08,493 --> 00:31:12,533 The records show that Casey's health is deteriorating rapidly. 478 00:31:12,533 --> 00:31:15,493 On top of the stage three ulcer, 479 00:31:15,493 --> 00:31:18,413 he also has developed a urinary tract infection. 480 00:31:18,413 --> 00:31:22,253 And this is not a good thing for someone in his condition. 481 00:31:23,413 --> 00:31:25,893 Casey's immune system is shutting down. 482 00:31:25,893 --> 00:31:30,253 And, if his infections start to spread, he could die. 483 00:31:31,333 --> 00:31:35,413 Your dad doesn't have much longer. 484 00:31:35,413 --> 00:31:38,973 I'm just gonna let you know, it could be a few days. 485 00:31:38,973 --> 00:31:43,373 It could be...it could be a few months. But he's not doing well. 486 00:31:43,373 --> 00:31:45,853 According to the medical records, 487 00:31:45,853 --> 00:31:50,293 I can see that Casey is noted to be moaning and grimacing. 488 00:31:50,293 --> 00:31:53,853 And this is a result of the severe pain he was in associated with 489 00:31:53,853 --> 00:31:57,053 the decubitus ulcer and his contractures. 490 00:31:57,053 --> 00:32:02,413 His physician's gave him two to four milligrams of morphine IV 491 00:32:02,413 --> 00:32:04,093 to manage that pain. 492 00:32:06,333 --> 00:32:09,973 The minute he did that, my dad was a different person. 493 00:32:09,973 --> 00:32:13,173 His body calmed down. 494 00:32:13,173 --> 00:32:15,253 He was able to just look at us 495 00:32:15,253 --> 00:32:17,253 and kind of communicate with us by mumbling a little bit. 496 00:32:19,848 --> 00:32:21,888 3 June, 2014. 497 00:32:21,888 --> 00:32:24,528 Twelve days before Casey's death. 498 00:32:24,528 --> 00:32:28,328 Fearing the worst, Kerri asks doctors to do everything 499 00:32:28,328 --> 00:32:30,888 they can to save her father's life. 500 00:32:30,888 --> 00:32:33,528 In response to Kerri Kasem's request, 501 00:32:33,528 --> 00:32:38,128 Casey is started on intravenous antibiotics to treat infection. 502 00:32:38,128 --> 00:32:40,408 He's also provided nutrition 503 00:32:40,408 --> 00:32:44,848 through that G-tube and intravenous fluids for hydration. 504 00:32:47,688 --> 00:32:50,528 6 June, 2014. 505 00:32:50,528 --> 00:32:53,168 Casey is now in a critical condition. 506 00:32:54,408 --> 00:32:58,328 I can see that, despite intensive antibiotic therapy, 507 00:32:58,328 --> 00:33:01,328 Casey's immune system is collapsing. 508 00:33:01,328 --> 00:33:04,248 There's now evidence of fluid building up in his lungs. 509 00:33:04,248 --> 00:33:06,688 And, if that fluid is not removed, 510 00:33:06,688 --> 00:33:09,168 he's going to develop respiratory failure. 511 00:33:10,168 --> 00:33:11,768 I didn't want him to die thirsty. 512 00:33:11,768 --> 00:33:13,888 I didn't want him to be hungry. 513 00:33:14,488 --> 00:33:15,968 But he was shutting down. 514 00:33:17,408 --> 00:33:21,688 Every few hours, doctors suctioned fluids from Casey's lungs. 515 00:33:21,688 --> 00:33:25,168 We were shoving tubes down his throat, and he was shaking his 516 00:33:25,168 --> 00:33:27,488 head. I remember shaking his head looking at us like, 517 00:33:27,488 --> 00:33:29,568 "Please don't do this to me anymore." 518 00:33:29,568 --> 00:33:31,248 My dad was choking. 519 00:33:31,248 --> 00:33:34,528 And my sister said, "Stop, stop, stop the fluid!" 520 00:33:34,528 --> 00:33:37,768 I mean, it was that bad. My dad was suffering. 521 00:33:37,768 --> 00:33:43,168 The next day, doctors advise they discontinue fluids and nutrition. 522 00:33:43,168 --> 00:33:46,888 Casey's daughters are faced with a heart-wrenching decision. 523 00:33:46,888 --> 00:33:51,608 It was a decision we all knew had to 524 00:33:51,608 --> 00:33:53,808 be made to let him die at peace. 525 00:33:57,328 --> 00:34:00,568 15 June, 2014. 526 00:34:00,568 --> 00:34:03,608 Casey has minutes to live. 527 00:34:03,608 --> 00:34:07,328 By his side are his daughters, Julie and Kerri. 528 00:34:07,328 --> 00:34:10,648 Casey's son, Michael, has flown in from his home in Singapore. 529 00:34:12,328 --> 00:34:15,888 When that final day came, 530 00:34:15,888 --> 00:34:21,248 I couldn't take it, watching my dad try and breathe. 531 00:34:25,248 --> 00:34:27,408 When he took his final breath, 532 00:34:27,408 --> 00:34:30,688 we were all - all had our hands on him. 533 00:34:30,688 --> 00:34:34,488 And he died loved. He knew we were there. 534 00:34:34,488 --> 00:34:37,368 And he knew that we were with him. 535 00:34:40,928 --> 00:34:43,408 3.23am. 536 00:34:43,408 --> 00:34:46,448 Casey Kasem is pronounced dead. 537 00:34:55,128 --> 00:34:58,128 No autopsy has ever been performed, 538 00:34:58,128 --> 00:35:02,408 and Casey's cause of death has remained officially pending. 539 00:35:02,408 --> 00:35:05,168 But now Dr Hunter believes 540 00:35:05,168 --> 00:35:08,208 he's close to pinpointing the reason for his death. 541 00:35:10,968 --> 00:35:14,048 Casey's case is a complex one. 542 00:35:14,048 --> 00:35:19,328 It's arguable that a man of 82 with advanced dementia could pass away 543 00:35:19,328 --> 00:35:23,568 very suddenly, and that Casey's death is just from natural causes. 544 00:35:24,528 --> 00:35:28,168 But, when Casey entered the hospital on 1 June, 545 00:35:28,168 --> 00:35:29,928 he was in a serious condition. 546 00:35:29,928 --> 00:35:33,688 He had an infected bedsore and a bladder infection. 547 00:35:33,688 --> 00:35:36,048 And he was in severe pain. 548 00:35:38,248 --> 00:35:40,488 Doctors administered antibiotics 549 00:35:40,488 --> 00:35:43,248 as soon as Casey was admitted to the hospital. 550 00:35:46,328 --> 00:35:50,728 But, for Dr Hunter, this treatment was too little, too late. 551 00:35:51,968 --> 00:35:54,608 And, at the roots of Casey's demise, 552 00:35:54,608 --> 00:35:57,688 go back to when he was in his wife's care. 553 00:35:57,688 --> 00:36:00,888 It's impossible to ignore the period of time when he 554 00:36:00,888 --> 00:36:02,608 was under the care of Jean Kasem. 555 00:36:03,168 --> 00:36:07,928 He needed professional round-the-clock nursing care. 556 00:36:09,768 --> 00:36:14,048 In a healthy patient, any open wound is a risk. 557 00:36:14,048 --> 00:36:17,048 But for Casey, with an immune system 558 00:36:17,048 --> 00:36:21,488 already heavily compromised, his bedsore was a time bomb. 559 00:36:22,248 --> 00:36:25,848 Dr Hunter spots the first clue as Kerri Kasem rushes 560 00:36:25,848 --> 00:36:27,368 her father to the hospital. 561 00:36:27,888 --> 00:36:31,528 While he was in the ambulance, he was dropping in and out of 562 00:36:31,528 --> 00:36:34,968 consciousness, and his blood pressure plummeted. 563 00:36:34,968 --> 00:36:36,768 This is indicative of sepsis, 564 00:36:36,768 --> 00:36:40,648 when a bacterial infections spreads throughout the body. 565 00:36:41,928 --> 00:36:45,768 Bacteria, most likely from the infected sores, 566 00:36:45,768 --> 00:36:48,968 entered his body and release their toxins. 567 00:36:48,968 --> 00:36:52,208 These toxins damaged small blood vessels, 568 00:36:52,208 --> 00:36:56,048 causing them to leak fluid into the surrounding tissues. 569 00:36:56,048 --> 00:36:59,408 This would have been a trigger for Casey's immune system to go into 570 00:36:59,408 --> 00:37:03,528 overdrive, reducing the blood flow to the brain, 571 00:37:03,528 --> 00:37:05,728 his kidneys and his heart. 572 00:37:08,288 --> 00:37:11,848 In the week before Casey arrived in the hospital, while still under 573 00:37:11,848 --> 00:37:16,328 the care of his wife, his bedsore needed specific attention. 574 00:37:17,328 --> 00:37:19,648 Any dead or infected tissue 575 00:37:19,648 --> 00:37:24,048 in or around the sore needed to be debrided or scraped 576 00:37:24,048 --> 00:37:28,488 away to prevent the bacteria from entering the bloodstream. 577 00:37:28,488 --> 00:37:32,048 But there is no evidence that this ever happened while under Jean's 578 00:37:32,048 --> 00:37:36,248 care, or that there was someone who was actually qualified to do this. 579 00:37:38,488 --> 00:37:43,008 On 4 June, doctors note another rapid drop in blood pressure. 580 00:37:44,968 --> 00:37:48,208 The septic infection is now so advanced he's developed septic 581 00:37:48,208 --> 00:37:52,848 shock. He's on the cusp of developing multi organ failure. 582 00:37:54,168 --> 00:37:59,808 To keep Casey alive, doctors give him vasopressors, powerful drugs 583 00:37:59,808 --> 00:38:03,648 designed to contract the blood vessels and raise blood pressure. 584 00:38:04,288 --> 00:38:08,328 By 6 June, Casey's organs had started to fail. 585 00:38:08,328 --> 00:38:14,968 Doctors note high GT residuals and no BM, which means his body 586 00:38:14,968 --> 00:38:17,328 was no longer processing nutrients. 587 00:38:19,768 --> 00:38:23,128 Intravenous fluids designed to keep Casey hydrated 588 00:38:23,128 --> 00:38:25,368 start to build up in his lungs. 589 00:38:25,368 --> 00:38:28,848 The dying process was already underway. 590 00:38:28,848 --> 00:38:33,288 It was now a question of time before his heart failed 591 00:38:33,288 --> 00:38:36,368 and he stopped breathing nine days later. 592 00:38:43,368 --> 00:38:44,848 Dad. 593 00:38:49,808 --> 00:38:55,328 Ultimately, from the moment Jean Kasem removed Casey from Berkley 594 00:38:55,328 --> 00:38:58,968 East Convalescent Hospital five weeks before his death, 595 00:38:58,968 --> 00:39:00,648 his life was at risk. 596 00:39:06,568 --> 00:39:10,928 Lacking the continuous medical care that he required, he developed 597 00:39:10,928 --> 00:39:15,928 infections, hastening his death and filled his final few weeks with 598 00:39:15,928 --> 00:39:18,488 unnecessary pain and suffering. 599 00:39:20,688 --> 00:39:23,248 In May, 2015, 600 00:39:23,248 --> 00:39:27,008 the LA County District Attorney decided there was insufficient 601 00:39:27,008 --> 00:39:31,728 evidence for a criminal case of elder abuse against Jean Kasem. 602 00:39:31,728 --> 00:39:34,928 A civil action for elder abuse and wrongful death 603 00:39:34,928 --> 00:39:37,648 is ongoing. 604 00:39:38,488 --> 00:39:42,488 But there is one final twist in the tragic tale. 605 00:39:44,048 --> 00:39:46,568 Having removed Casey's body from the hospital 606 00:39:46,568 --> 00:39:49,208 just five hours after his death, 607 00:39:49,208 --> 00:39:54,008 Jean Kasem had her husband's body shipped to Norway for burial. 608 00:39:54,008 --> 00:39:56,968 And we did our best to try and prevent that 609 00:39:56,968 --> 00:40:00,128 from happening, but there was nothing we could do to stop it. 610 00:40:00,648 --> 00:40:04,928 Only Jean Kasem can explain her reasoning. 611 00:40:05,768 --> 00:40:09,568 Jean Kasem didn't have an ounce of Norwegian blood in her body. 612 00:40:09,568 --> 00:40:11,448 Her brother contacted us, said, 613 00:40:11,448 --> 00:40:14,648 "There is no Norwegian blood in our family." 614 00:40:14,648 --> 00:40:16,728 He's in an unmarked grave, 615 00:40:16,728 --> 00:40:19,328 in a place he's never been 616 00:40:19,328 --> 00:40:24,568 in a land where people don't know him. 617 00:40:24,568 --> 00:40:26,568 He needs to be here. 618 00:40:26,568 --> 00:40:29,448 He needs to buried back in Los Angeles 619 00:40:29,448 --> 00:40:31,448 where he's lived for 58 years. 620 00:40:31,448 --> 00:40:34,128 And, I mean, here he would have had so many 621 00:40:34,128 --> 00:40:35,728 people who would love to visit. 622 00:40:39,928 --> 00:40:42,928 In memory of her father, Kerri Kasem 623 00:40:42,928 --> 00:40:47,408 now campaigns for the law to be changed across the US guaranteeing 624 00:40:47,408 --> 00:40:50,968 adult children the right to see their dying parents. 625 00:40:50,968 --> 00:40:54,448 What happened to us was unjust and wrong. 626 00:40:55,488 --> 00:40:57,848 And I can't let it happen to anyone else. 627 00:40:58,848 --> 00:41:01,808 Always think of this. 628 00:41:01,808 --> 00:41:04,568 He said, "Keep reaching for the stars." 629 00:41:04,568 --> 00:41:08,248 We have 50 stars on the flag. 630 00:41:08,248 --> 00:41:10,008 I have eight states that have 631 00:41:10,008 --> 00:41:12,928 passed the visitation bill, eight stars down. 632 00:41:12,928 --> 00:41:15,648 And I have 42 more stars to go. 633 00:41:21,008 --> 00:41:23,488 Captions edited by Ai-Media ai-media.tv