WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY | Woman quits job after twice finding doll with noose around its neck

Woman quits job after twice finding doll with noose around its neck

By Maira Ansari

LOUISVILLE (WAVE) -- The Kentucky Human Rights Commission is investigating a Louisville woman's claim that she was the victim of a hate crime. The incident allegedly happened a year ago at her workplace in Oldham County, and she says she's still waiting for something to be done. WAVE 3's Maira Ansari investigates.  

 A year ago, Carla Hinkle says she found a doll with a rope wrapped around its neck in a plant at her job.

"I got upset, took it down and after break I came back, and the doll was hanging right back in the same place that I took it down from," Hinkle said.

The alleged incident happened at Octa, a company that makes tubular products in Buckner, Ky.

Hinkle says she was the only African American employee working at Octa and felt like the doll with the noose wrapped around its neck was a hate crime directed toward her.

She left Octa a few days after the alleged incident, but never told anyone at the company. Instead, Hinkle says she told officials at the temp agency that placed her on the job.

"I was furious," Hinkle said."I was so upset, I wanted to leave right then and there."

WAVE 3 made several attempts at interviewing members of Octa's management, and they referred us to their attorney. All declined an on-camera interview.

But Octa's lawyer did say this over the phone: "We believe Ms. Hinkle's allegations are inaccurate. Octa does not tolerate discriminatory actions. Ms. Hinkle never complained to Octa about the alleged incident. The first information the company had received about the alleged incident was after Octa had received charges of discrimination from the Kentucky Commission on human rights" said Kevin Smith.

Two months after the incident, Hinkle's case was filed with the Kentucky Human Rights Commission, but says nothing has been done a year later.

"I had a call -- nobody would return my calls," Hinkle said. "I wanted to find out what they were going to do about the situation and I kept getting the runaround."

"In this particular case I think there has been a misunderstanding, honestly, by Ms. Hinkle who, for whatever reason, says this case might have been closed," said Victoria Dempsey with the Human Rights Commission.

Dempsey says the case is still an open investigation.

"We work to resolve as quickly as we can," Dempsey said. "So if there is an open status, and if there hasn't been an action taken on that recently, it's always because we are awaiting answers from the complainant, the respondent or both."

According to Kentucky law, hanging a doll by a noose isn't a hate crime,  but Hinkle hopes that incidents like this won't be tolerated at workplaces.

"Maybe people wouldn't bring it to the workplace and keep it to themselves," Hinkle said.

The attorney for Octa said the company did conduct its own investigation but wouldn't tell WAVE 3 if anyone has been disciplined for the alleged incident.

Hinkle would like to see a law in place that makes hanging nooses a hate crime.

Online Reporter: Maira Ansari

Online Producer: Michael Dever