(L.A.) Ava Kappelman, 19, Died From a Polydrug Overdose
Case Number: 2024-16844
Los Angeles County is reporting the death of a 19-year-old White/Caucasian female that occurred at her residence.
The coroner’s office identified the young woman as Ava Kappelman.
Manner of Death: Accident
Cause of Death: Multiple Drug Toxicity
RIP AVA KAPPELMAN (December 20, 2004 – October 26, 2024)
Formal pronouncement of death was made on Saturday at 7:05 p.m.
Ruling by the deputy medical examiner was published on January 19, presumably after the results of tox screening had come back from the lab. This is considered an accidental, i.e., unintentional, drug overdose.
The decedent was the great-granddaughter of lyricist Lil Mattis. Her stepfather and boyfriend [sic] David Colgan was found dead at 10:22 a.m. on October 29.
Case Number: 24STCV05917
DAVID COLGAN VS FRANCES TINSLEY
Filing Courthouse: Stanley Mosk
Filing Date: 03/08/2024
Case Type: Defamation (slander/libel)
Plaintiff David Colgan was formerly in a relationship with Defendant Frances Tinsley’s daughter, Jennifer Kappelman. Colgan and Kappelman have a 12-year-old daughter together. Kappelman has another daughter, Ava Kappelman, from a previous relationship. Ava is 18 years old. That makes Ava and Plaintiff’s daughter half-sisters. Defendant is their grandmother.
Plaintiff is now in a romantic relationship with Ava. Plaintiff alleges that Defendant, in response to Plaintiff’s relationship with her granddaughter, has made defamatory statements against Plaintiff, “which included unfounded accusations of pedophilia, incest, and predatory behavior.” Plaintiff now brings this action against Defendant for (1) defamation (libel per se), (2) defamation (slander), (3) defamation (trade libel), (4) invasion of privacy (false light), (5) intentional interference with prospective economic advantage, (6) negligent interference with prospective economic advantage, (7) intentional infliction of emotional distress, (8) negligent infliction of emotional distress.
FUTURE HEARING
Status Conference
04/14/2025 at 08:30 AM in Department 49
111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
ALLEGATIONS IN COMPLAINT
Plaintiff David Colgan is the Director of Communications at UCLA and a “respected and published book writer.” From November 2009 until April 2012, Plaintiff dated Jennifer Kappelman, with whom he has a now thirteen-year-old daughter. Throughout, the Court refers to this daughter as “A” or “Doe 1,” as the parties do, or simply, “Plaintiff’s daughter.”
Kappelman also has another daughter named Ava Kappelman (“Ava”) from a separate relationship. Plaintiff’s daughter is Ava’s half-sister. Since August 23, 2023, Plaintiff has been in a romantic relationship with Ava. Plaintiff alleges at the time the relationship started, Ava was “of age, consenting and respected.”
Defendant Frances Tinsley is Jennifer Kappelman’s mother, and the grandmother of both Ava and Plaintiff’s daughter. When Plaintiff and Ava started dating, Defendant allegedly “commenced making defamatory statements against [Plaintiff], which included unfounded accusations of pedophilia, incest, and predatory behavior.” Plaintiff alleges these statements were made to both Plaintiff’s daughter and Ava, “and disseminated to others within the community.”
In addition, Plaintiff alleges that Defendant “intentionally interfer[ed] with [Plaintiff’s] parental rights” by “falsely assert[ing] that [Plaintiff] posed a threat to the well-being of” his daughter. This has allowed Defendant to “manipulate and influence a twelve-year-old to harbor unwarranted fear toward her own father.” Plaintiff, “profoundly affected by these actions, is now grappling with emotional distress and depression.”
Finally, Plaintiff alleges Defendant’s conduct has caused “significant harm to his reputation and professional endeavors.” This “immeasurable damage to his reputation is likely to have far-reaching consequences, impacting [Plaintiff’s] future earning potential both as an author and in his capacity as an employee of UCLA.”