The news these days is often depressing at worst and frustrating at best. It’s easy to let it get us down. Never fear… The News Blender has you covered. Once a week we feature Something Good and, in return, all you have to do is tell us something good that has happened to you this week, something you are thankful for, a joke, a cute animal story, an inspiring tale of heroics, a Random Act of Kindness… SOMETHING good.
Today’s something good is an enterprising kid and some conspiring cops.
Scarlett Doumato, a 10-year-old Rhode Island girl, has been suspicious of Santa for a while. Last year, she set up cameras to catch whoever might be masquerading as Santa. The following morning, she believed the video had been photoshopped. So this past Christmas, she bagged up evidence – a partially eaten cookie and a munched on carrot – for DNA testing. Scarlett mailed her evidence to the Cumberland Police Department in hopes they could settle the age-old question of Santa’s existence.
She wrote, “Dear Cumberland Police department, I took a sample of a cookie and carrots that I left for Santa and the raindeer on christmas eve and was wondering if you could take a sample of DNA and see if Santa is real?”
Scarlett told the Washington Post, “I thought that would give the best answers because it carries off his DNA.”
“Scarlett has never been one to take anyone’s word for anything. She just doesn’t. She’s going to go through her own process and make her own conclusions about pretty much everything. That’s just her personality,” Scarlett’s mother, Alyson Doumato, said.
The fourth-grader’s inquiry sparked a sprawling investigation. The evidence landed on the desk of Cumberland Police Chief Matthew Benson. Scarlett’s evidence was promptly sent to the State Health Department’s forensic lab for testing, noting the various aliases the suspect goes by: Kriss Kringle, Saint Nicholas and Saint Nick.
While awaiting the forensic report, Benson wrote Scarlett a letter apprising her of the status of the investigation. There was a lead, he said. A suspect who witnesses described as a “larger man with a white beard and red jacket” had been seen lurking in her neighborhood on Christmas Eve. Efforts were being made to bring the suspect in to headquarters so he could be interviewed and fingerprinted.
Benson wrote in his letter to Scarlett, “He is currently out of state somewhere up north and needs some time to coordinate his travel plans back to Cumberland. Apparently, he leads a very large team of workers who build toys and also maintains a small farm with about 9 animals that need constant care and attention as they are constantly playing games.”
The forensic results came back last week. Unfortunately for Scarlett, they were inconclusive. But, there were some interesting findings. In addition to finding reindeer DNA on the carrot, they also found a “partial match to a 1947 case centered around 34th street in New York City”.
The report concluded, “While our laboratory was able to apply the most current and technologically advanced methods to solving this case, we aren’t able to definitively confirm or refute the presence of Santa at your home. We all agree that something magical may be at play.”
While the 10-year-old is a little annoyed by the inconclusive forensic report, she has adjusted her thinking with the facts on hand. Scarlett’s previous theory, that someone – namely her mom and dad – was posing as Santa, has been replaced with believing Old Saint Nick himself indeed stopped by to have a snack and deliver presents.
Now it’s your turn… Tell me something good!
