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A Frankfort mother is looking for answers after Florida officials found her daughter’s remains in a state forest earlier this month.

Karen Deaton spoke exclusively with The State Journal about the circumstances surrounding Tara Lynn Deaton’s disappearance and the eventual recovery of her body.

She last talked with her daughter on May 19 — five days before Tara was supposed to return to Frankfort. Karen said her mother was in contact with Tara the following day.

On May 23, Florida authorities told Karen that Tara’s Lexus was involved in a hit-and-run accident with a golf cart that left two people injured. 

“Tara would never do that,” her mother stated. “Things don’t make sense.”

The next day the Walton County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office reported that Tara’s vehicle was found in a wooded area off County Highway 30A roughly two miles from the accident scene. Tara was not in the vehicle, but, according to Karen, deputies told her that the trunk was full of expensive Jimmy Choo handbags.

In a press release, WCSO said that blood was located in the trunk. However, when two Kentucky State Police troopers came to get a swab of Karen’s DNA, she was informed that blood was found in the backseat of the Lexus.

“Nothing added up. They told me way too many different stories,” Karen explained.

Tara, a Western Hills High School graduate who previously worked at Swarovski’s in Louisville, moved to Walton County, Florida, about two years ago. Karen described her daughter as smart, sweet and kind.

“Every time I talked to her I’d just say, ‘how’s my most beautiful girl in the world?’ Because that is what she was,” Karen remarked. “I just want everybody to know that Tara was good.”

Tara had been sick for quite a while before her death and had been seen by several doctors who couldn't figure out why. Karen thinks that black mold in her Santa Rosa apartment complex was to blame.

"She sent us video of the black mold and you could see it move," she added. "I offered to send her money, but she wasn't like that."

Karen believes it was her daughter’s desire to help others that led her to Dagan Blake Boring, the 24-year-old Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, man who is charged with murdering Tara.

“Some people are nice to monsters,” Karen commented.

“She was a very good person — simple as that and would help anybody. I believe that is what got her killed.”

On July 14, Boring was detained at a convenience store in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and reportedly led investigators to Tara’s human remains in Point Washington State Forest.

He reportedly admitted to beating Tara before blacking out. Boring allegedly told law enforcement that he believes he strangled her to death. Reports indicate that Boring drove around for one day with Tara’s body in the trunk of a vehicle before leaving her body inside a sleeping bag in the state forest.

Karen got the news that Tara’s remains were located from a message sent by a friend.

“They [WCSO deputies] did wrong and then posted her remains were found before they notified me,” she told The State Journal.

Tara’s body was in the forest for two months before it was located and Karen places the blame squarely on the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. She said they should have looked for her and organized search parties.

“Half of my heart is just gone,” she added. “God has an angel. He’s very lucky.”

Karen said that officials had to use dental records to identify Tara’s remains.

“Her bones were all that were left,” she stated.

The bones were sent to a forensic anthropologist and it may take up to two months before the family is able to cremate Tara and get a bit of closure.

“Maybe then I’ll be able to accept it, but I don’t know,” her mother said.

As for Boring, who is being held in the Walton County Jail without bond for Tara’s death, Karen wants him to remain in prison.

“There are some things you don’t mess with and one of those things is mama,” she explained.

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