LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A lawsuit filed against Meade County officials claims elected leaders prevented Kayla Irwin from attending her son’s funeral after she was charged in his death—a charge that was later dismissed.
Irwin, who was incarcerated at the time, had been arrested alongside her boyfriend, Daniel Clemens, in connection with the death of her 5-year-old son in January 2022.
The charges against Irwin were eventually dropped, but Clemens was convicted of the boy's murder.
According to the lawsuit, filed on Jan. 14, 2025, Meade County Sheriff Phillip Wimpee and other officials “actively worked to keep Irwin incarcerated for months based on the bogus charge,” and even “refused to allow Irwin to attend her son’s funeral.”
The lawsuit states that on March 4, 2024, the criminal charges against Irwin were dismissed with prejudice, meaning they cannot be reinstated. Clemens was later convicted of murder.
In response to inquiries, Wimpee declined to comment, citing advice from his attorney. However, he expressed continued sympathy for the family, saying, "I am still praying for them."
The lawsuit also brings up a personal connection for Wimpee.
In a media statement following Irwin's arrest, Wimpee noted that he could relate to the family's grief, having lost his own son in a double-murder suicide in 2013.
However, the lawsuit argues that this personal experience may have influenced the investigation. It claims Wimpee allowed his own emotions to cloud his judgment, leading to an arrest based on personal animus rather than evidence.
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