NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Hundreds of Nashville families are still waiting for justice, with their hopes pinned on sexual assault kit testing that could lead to arrests.

The city’s metro board is taking steps to clear a staggering backlog of more than 720 untested kits and is moving forward with a plan to outsource the work in an effort to speed up the process.

At a Metro Council meeting Thursday, council members recognized the urgency of the situation and approved a resolution accepting a $243,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.

This funding will go towards outsourcing the analysis of sexual assault kits, which will help clear the backlog and reduce delays in testing critical DNA evidence.

Danielle Pyle is not only an advocate for those who have been sexually assaulted, she is also a survivor.

“I had a case that was unfortunately mishandled and I was not able to get justice — criminal or civil in my case,” Pyle said.

To make matters worse, she said she didn’t know the status of her rape kit.

“My assault happened in April 2021 and as of this date I still don’t know where she is, where she lives or if anyone has tested her.”

Pyle’s journey led her to become a strong advocate for victims’ rights. She is the driving force behind “Danielle’s Law,” a law that extends the statute of limitations for civil sexual assault lawsuits in Tennessee.

But her fight doesn’t stop there. She also works to ensure that no other survivor faces the same uncertainty about the fate of their rape kit.

“If we can get the timing of the testing resolved, it will make our city safer,” Pyle said.

The rest of Nashville dates back to the opening of the city’s forensics lab in 2015. While the Metro Nashville Police Department established the first local forensic biolab, they struggled for years to fill a crucial DNA analysis position.

As of now, the lab is fully staffed and the backlog is not growing. However, the 725 untested cases are still unresolved.

Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell emphasized that the outsourcing plan would be an important step toward eliminating the backlog.

“We have made progress in increasing staffing levels at the MNPD lab, but we know that both law enforcement and victims want the process to move faster. This outsourcing effort is designed to complement the work we’ve already done and focuses on victims who need answers,” O’Connell said.

The $243,000 DOJ grant will fund the outsourcing of these kits for the next two years, with the goal of reducing the time it takes to process and test evidence. MPs hope this will help bring justice to victims and provide critical information for investigations.

For survivors, this news brings a sense of hope.

“I think it’s phenomenal that the issue of sexual assault kit testing is finally coming to the fore,” Pyle said. “This is a real problem that can be solved and I’m pleased to see the council taking action to make our city safer.”

Do you have more information on this story? You can email me at [email protected].

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