Behind the Investigation with Atlanta News First

“Be governed accordingly!” is the haunting message Marietta homeowner Danielle Reyes received from the lawyer representing her community’s homeowner’s association.

A federal wrongful death lawsuit filed against DeKalb County jail personnel, the county’s former medical provider, and others allege an inmate died from hypothermia after jail staff repeatedly ignored his pleas for help.

Senior citizens thought they were buying their forever homes in a retirement community in Conyers, but now claim the builder broke promises and refused to let them take control of their HOA. 

 Three family members who tested positive for drugs in a Georgia child custody case allege the state’s drug screening process produced false results, and they have independent tests to prove their claims.

A Kennesaw homeowner discovered someone filed a fraudulent insurance claim for fire damage on her renovated home, sparking a months-long battle to clear her record and avoid higher premiums.

Full investigation here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/12/04/is-there-fire-false-insurance-claim-sparks-battle-clear-homeowners-record/

Georgia education officials are studying Mississippi’s dramatic literacy transformation as 70 percent of the Peach State’s 4th graders cannot read proficiently, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Full investigation here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/12/22/georgia-looks-mississippi-help-children-learn-read-yes-mississippi/

A metro Atlanta police officer resigned from the department after he arrested a wheelchair-bound man on accusations he kicked in someone else's door.

Award-winning consumer reporter Harry Samler talks with FBI Special Agent Dan Polk on how scammers are using AI to create fake ads that mimic popular brands and retailers.

'Stolen Sobriety’ shows how drug-free parents are failing drug screens in Georgia. The project began when a mom reached out to Atlanta News First Investigates, saying she'd been wrongfully accused of being on drugs while trying to gain custody of her children. Our investigation uncovered the two labs contracted to perform the drug screens on behalf of Georgia's child welfare system have their own credibility issues.

Watch and listen to our full investigation here:

https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/news/investigate/stolen-sobriety/

The former president of one metro Atlanta homeowners association said boards abusing their power are giving responsible associations a bad reputation. “I see all these Facebook posts for Karen’s and Darren’s and HOA presidents harassing people,” Jan Keen said. “Gosh people, get a life!”

A metro school teacher has been left without his vehicle for months after he said Atlanta police lost his car key during an arrest, forcing him to spend hundreds of dollars on ride-sharing services just to get to work.

A Douglasville woman said she is finally getting relief after her water and sewage bill skyrocketed to $1,500 following three leaking toilets that she said her property management company failed to repair promptly.

A 77-year-old Kennesaw resident is fighting foreclosure after his homeowners association (HOA) accumulated more than $9,000 in fines and legal fees.

A special prosecutor has been appointed to investigate a north Georgia sheriff after an Atlanta News First Investigates report prompted Gov. Brian Kemp to order an inquiry.

A Gwinnett County family endured more than two months without their mother’s death certificate, not because of medical examiner backlogs, but due to a doctor’s failure to sign the required document.

Watch and listen to the full story here: https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/09/04/gwinnett-county-family-waits-months-mothers-death-certificate/

A Fairburn woman recovering from chemotherapy treatment discovered her homeowner’s association had cleared out her bank account after she fell behind on HOA dues due to her cancer diagnosis.

A Cherokee County mother has been cleared by child welfare officials after false positive drug test results nearly separated her from her children.

With the upcoming University of Georgia game sold out, fans are turning to aftermarket platforms and private Facebook groups to secure tickets while avoiding inflated prices and excessive fees.

Austin Lang, founder of The Real Georgia Bulldog, talks with Atlanta News First consumer reporter Harry Samler (of Better Call Harry fame) on what you need to know when securing last-minute tickets to Saturday's game.

Measles cases in Georgia and the U.S. surged to levels in 2025 that haven’t been seen in three decades, fueled by declining childhood vaccinations and misinformation.

Public health officials say the trend mirrors a tragedy that unfolded in 2019 on the island nation of Samoa, when false claims about vaccine safety helped trigger a deadly outbreak that killed 83 people, most of them children. 

Atlanta News First investigative reporter Andy Pierrotti spoke with two leading vaccine experts about the facts and myths regarding the MMR vaccine.

A historic bloom of sargassum seaweed, 38 million metric tons, continues to pile up along coastlines in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. It’s also reaching the shores of south Florida and the Keys. Harry Samler - known as Better Call Harry - talks with Dr. Steven Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach, about what you need to know before planning that next beach vacation.

Homeowners in one metro Atlanta neighborhood say stormwater runoff is flooding their yards—and they’re calling on the city to take responsibility. What looks like harmless puddles has turned into a costly problem. 
https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/07/16/atlanta-homeowners-find-old-stormwater-pipe-flooding-their-yards-city-says-not-our-problem/