Court rejects mother’s appeal in daughter’s death

Thursday, Oct. 21, 1999 | 9:45 a.m.

The ruling upholds a Sept. 2 decision by Carson City district court judges Michael Griffin and Michael Fondi.

The judges denied Tammy Stelton's petition to form a grand jury, concluding the petition was flawed and that convening a grand jury would be too expensive.

Stelton's daughter, Sadie Natasha Jennings, 16, was found dead in her father's Carson City home July 8, 1997. An autopsy couldn't determine the cause of death.

Carson City sheriff's detectives and the district attorneys office investigated the death and found no evidence of foul play.

Stelton remains convinced theres more to the story and has waged a public campaign trying to discredit the efforts of investigators.

The Manteca, Calif., resident filed documents demanding that Sheriff Rod Banister, District Attorney Noel Waters and coroners Vernon McCarty and Eric Cantlin turn over their files in connection with the death.

Stelton said Wednesday she remains committed to solving the mystery despite the Supreme Courts ruling.

"They can say no but its not going to stop me," Stelton said. "Im not going to take no for an answer and I wont stop until I get all the answers."