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

The city’s Metro Council is moving to address a staggering backlog of more than 720 untested kits, moving forward with a plan to outsource the work to speed up the process.

At Thursday’s Metro Council meeting, council members acknowledged the urgency of the situation and approved a decision to accept a $243,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.

This funding will be used to outsource the analysis of sexual assault kits, which will help clear backlogs 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.

“Unfortunately, I had a mishandled case that resulted in me not being able to get justice, criminally or civilly, in my case,” Pyle said.

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

“My attack took place in April 2021, and to this date I still don’t know where he was, where he lived, or if anyone tested him.”

Pyle’s journey has turned her into a strong advocate for victims’ rights. He is the driving force behind “Danielle’s Law,” a law that extends the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits related to sexual violence in Tennessee.

But his struggle does not end there. She is also working to ensure that no other survivors face the same uncertainty over the fate of the rape kit.

“If we can figure out the testing timeline, our city will be safer,” Pyle said.

The backlog in Nashville dates back to the 2015 opening of the city’s crime lab. The Metro Nashville Police Department has spent years trying to fill a key DNA analysis position while establishing its first local forensic biolab.

As of now, the laboratory is fully staffed and the backlog is no longer increasing. However, 725 untested cases remain unresolved.

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

“We have made progress in increasing staffing at the MNPD laboratory, but we know that both law enforcement and victims want the process to move faster. This outsourcing effort is designed to support the work we are already doing and focus on victims who need answers,” O’Connell said.

The $243,000 grant from the Department of Justice will fund outsourcing these kits over the next two years to reduce the time needed to process and test evidence. Lawmakers hope this will help bring justice to victims and provide critical information for investigations.

For survivors, this news carries a sense of hope.

“I think it is remarkable that the issue of sexual assault kit testing is finally at the forefront,” Pyle said. “This is a real problem that can be solved and I am excited to see the council taking action to make our city safer.”

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