In Merrill, Wisconsin, a woman has been charged with reckless homicide following the drowning of her daughter in a bathtub, according to reports. The source identifies the accused as Katelyn Nardi. Reports state that Nardi has entered a not-guilty plea. A week-long jury trial is scheduled to begin June 28, 2027. The report confirms the charge, the reported drowning, and the upcoming trial date. It does not provide further details about the circumstances surrounding the drowning. Those circumstances, and the allegations underlying the charge, will be addressed through the legal process. What Makes This Incident Different A reported drowning involving a child in a bathtub is a profoundly serious and sensitive type of wrongful-death matter. The available report is limited, but it identifies an allegation of reckless homicide and a scheduled jury trial rather than merely a civil dispute or an accident report. Criminal charges and a criminal trial are separate from any civil legal questions that surviving family members may consider. A criminal case concerns whether the state can prove the charged offense under the criminal legal standard. A civil wrongful-death claim, if one is available, has a different purpose and proceeds under different rules. It is important not to treat the pending charge as a final determination. Nardi has pleaded not guilty, and the evidence presented in court will determine the outcome of the criminal matter. Questions Investigators May Examine Because the source does not describe the events leading to the drowning, the evidence will determine what occurred. In a bathtub-drowning investigation, investigators may examine conditional questions such as: - What information may establish the sequence of events before emergency assistance was sought? - What witness accounts, if any, may help clarify who was present or aware of the circumstances? - What observations from responding personnel may document the scene and the condition of the bathtub area? - What medical evidence may help explain the reported drowning? - What statements, digital records, or other documentation may be relevant to the timeline? These are not conclusions about this case or about any person’s responsibility. They are examples of the types of questions evidence may help answer when authorities review a reported drowning death. Evidence That May Need to Be Preserved Evidence can become harder to locate as time passes. Depending on what exists, information that may be important in a bathtub-drowning matter can include: - Police, fire, and emergency medical service reports - Dispatch recordings and call logs - Scene photographs, measurements, diagrams, or video created by responding agencies - Photographs of the bathtub and surrounding area, if taken - Medical, hospital, and postmortem records that may be available through proper legal channels - Witness statements and contact information - Relevant text messages, call records, photographs, videos, or other digital materials - Court filings and hearing records connected to the pending criminal case Preservation should be handled carefully. Families should avoid altering original digital files or relying only on screenshots when original records may be available. What Families Should Know The loss of a child can leave a family facing overwhelming grief alongside difficult practical and legal questions. In Wisconsin, a wrongful-death matter is a civil case and is distinct from a criminal prosecution. A criminal charge does not itself decide a civil claim, and a criminal trial is not necessarily the only process through which family members may seek information or evaluate their legal options. Wisconsin law includes deadlines for bringing civil claims, and the applicable deadline can depend on the circumstances and the legal theory involved. Waiting for a criminal case to finish can create complications in some situations, so it can be helpful to obtain legal guidance early while evidence and records may still be available. A lawyer can also explain who may have authority to pursue a claim, what damages may potentially be available under Wisconsin law, and how a civil matter could interact with a pending criminal case. No lawyer can promise a particular result, and each family’s situation requires an individual review. How Dunk Law Can Help Dunk Law can speak with Wisconsin families coping with a fatal drowning or another catastrophic injury about preserving evidence, obtaining available records, and understanding possible civil options. Our team can review the known facts with care, explain the distinction between criminal and civil proceedings, and help families determine whether further investigation or legal action may be appropriate. If your family has lost someone in a drowning incident, Dunk Law can provide a confidential case evaluation focused on the specific circumstances and the information available. Related Dunk Law Resources - All practice areas This post is based on publicly available news reports and is provided for general information only. It is not legal advice.