Ian Vance was just a kid when he lost his mother.

Her death was ruled an accident.

But now as an adult, he questions everything.

Details unearthed from decades of court records reveal the circumstances of Valerie's life leading up to her death.

Circumstances, he feels, should have been scrutinized more closely

before closing his mother's case.

I'm Kylie Lowe, and this is the case of Valerie Carr

on Dark Down East.

I'm Kylie Lowe. on Dark Down East. It was pretty much any other school day.

It was November 6, 2008, and Ian Vance was 12 years old.

He lived in Bangor, Maine in the Capehart apartment community with his brother and sister,

and his mother, 37-year-old Valerie Carr.

Ian is a grown-up now, with a wife and children of his own, but his memories of that day will never fade.

I get home, go upstairs, I put my backpack away.

It was kind of odd, so when I walked in the door, all the lights were off.

And so I thought, it was kind of weird, okay, you know, whatever.

And I remember standing by the door, and I yelled to my mom, hey, I'm going over to my friend's

nickname was Boo Boo, because he always got hurt.

So I was like, hey, Mom, I'm going to Boo Boo's house.

We're going to play video games.

I'll be back later.

And I took a double take, and I was looking, and I was looking and I was like,

...