Lauren Trager

St. Louis

Chief Investigative Reporter at KMOV-TV (St. Louis, MO)

Award-winning Chief Investigative Reporter First Alert Four in St. Louis. Have a news tip? Contact me at [email protected]. Retweets are not endorsements.

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Articles

Taxpayers on the hook to clean-up or demo damaged buildings in St. Louis

1 week ago | firstalert4.com | Lauren Trager

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - While many were impacted by the tornado, the single biggest property owner affected is you, the taxpayer. Nearly 3,000 of the properties in the tornado’s path are publicly owned, part of St. Louis City’s land bank. Others had just been part of a program that used pandemic relief funds to allegedly stabilize private properties. Now, First Alert 4 Investigates has new numbers on the financial toll this storm could take on everyone.
Experts weigh in on video showing officer shooting man with knife

1 week ago | firstalert4.com | Lauren Trager

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - First Alert 4 Investigates uncovered exclusive video Tuesday of the moments law enforcement officers shot and killed a man on I-44 in Sullivan last year. After Garrett Ryan was killed, his mother and her attorney question whether police should have used a different tactic instead of shooting him. But the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement experts defend the officers, saying they had no choice.
First Alert 4 Investigates: Hidden dangers during storm cleanup

1 week ago | firstalert4.com | Lauren Trager

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Over the past two weeks, First Alert 4 has highlighted the mounting challenges for those affected by the May 16 tornado, from insurance concerns to short-term housing to clearing debris left behind by the twister. In the midst of all the debris, there could be hidden dangers lurking from recent storms. Toxic materials like asbestos, lead and even mold could wreak havoc on your health in the aftermath of a tornado.
Exclusive video shows fatal shooting on I-44. His mother says officers had other options

1 week ago | firstalert4.com | Lauren Trager

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Interstate 44 in Franklin County was shut down last August, after police shot and killed a man walking along the highway. Now, a First Alert 4 investigation uncovers views never seen by the public: the vantage points of police pointing their guns and a mother’s view on why she says her son should still be alive today. Under cloud-covered skies on I-44 in Sullivan, a police body camera captures a man pacing alongside interstate traffic.
Tornado victims left wondering how they’ll ever recover

2 weeks ago | firstalert4.com | Lauren Trager

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Many tornado victims are now asking the same question: How will I ever recover? If individual federal assistance is awarded, it typically ranges from $3,000 to $6,000. But if your entire home needs to be rebuilt, you’ll have to rely on your insurance. Disasters raise many questions, and First Alert 4 went straight to the source to get answers.
Homeowners concerned they are getting the runaround from insurance companies after deadly storm

2 weeks ago | firstalert4.com | Lauren Trager

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Some homeowners have told First Alert 4 Investigates that they feel they’re already getting the runaround from their insurance companies and are concerned it will take weeks for agents to act. “It does take you to a dark place, like how can you overcome this?” asked Stacie Nash. Her home, near Cates and Academy in St. Louis, was significantly damaged in the storm. She has lived in that home her entire life and was home on Friday.
First Alert 4 Investigates: Who’s really in charge of your dentist?

3 weeks ago | firstalert4.com | Lauren Trager

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - A social media post about a local dentist has been shared thousands of times, garnering millions of impressions. The post, warning of potential danger, is a public safety alert of sorts. Now, patients ask: Who’s really in charge of your dentist? “I’ve never had a panic attack at a dental office,” said Jaqueline Ploudre. Jaqueline’s visit to Artistic Dentistry in Creve Coeur earlier this year was unlike anything she’d ever experienced.
Lawsuit aims to reimburse taxpayers for ‘unlawful’ spending at St. Louis Public School District

3 weeks ago | firstalert4.com | Lauren Trager

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - A new lawsuit wants you, the taxpayer, to get your money back from what it calls “unlawful” expenditures on a St. Louis Public Schools credit card. First Alert 4 Investigates has previously reported on questionable spending, including stays at luxury hotels, meals at upscale restaurants, and even NBA tickets. The lawsuit, filed by a taxpayer, asks a judge to require the former superintendent and others to reimburse the district for those expenditures.
BJC changing IV devices after First Alert 4 Investigation

1 month ago | firstalert4.com | Lauren Trager

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - A major change at one of the region’s largest hospital systems. This comes after a First Alert 4 investigation earlier this month uncovered significant safety concerns about certain IV machines used in our region. For the first time, the BJC hospital system is confirming what they’re calling “deployment challenges” with their new IV pumps, welcome news to the sources who blew the whistle about these devices. “Patients should not be being treated with these pumps.
Local E. coli victims’ attorney plans to dismiss lawsuit against local catering company, names Taylor Farms in new lawsuit

1 month ago | firstalert4.com | Lauren Trager

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Digging into allegations that the federal government is keeping consumers in the dark, as victims have now filed a new lawsuit after a local E. coli outbreak. The new lawsuit stems from the large outbreak Fist Alert 4 first told you about last November. St. Louis County health authorities confirmed more than 100 local victims in the outbreak. Nine were hospitalized. Some of the victims attended the same catered events.