DALLAS – News 8 has learned Dallas County District Attorney Susan Hawk may be extending her leave of absence.
Three weeks ago, Hawk announced she was taking one month of unpaid leave to deal with issues related to serious depression. Hawk was expected back at the courthouse next Tuesday, when the leave ends.
But now, it may be longer before she returns to the courthouse.
A source close to the situation says Hawk will be meeting with her doctors soon to determine when she can return to work. The source said there is no firm date for Hawk's return, and that she remains in an inpatient facility getting treatment for depression.
"Susan is incredibly smart and she loves her job and she will be a great DA," the source said. "She's excited to come back to work."
Hawk's Aug. 25 acknowledgement that she was suffering from "serious depression" capped weeks of courthouse speculation and a media frenzy about her status. WFAA was originally told that she was away on summer break beginning Aug. 3.
But security records obtained by News 8 shows a dramatic change in her parking habits beginning in mid-July. The records are for the security access card that allows her to enter the underground parking garage used by prosecutors and judges.
The records show Hawk used her access card to park once during the week of July 13.
Messina Madson, who is running the office in Hawk's absence, told News 8 that the district attorney was in the office and attending meetings that week.
Hawk's staff says there was an issue with her access card around that time and she may have been parking elsewhere at the courthouse. The say she was given a new card by the Dallas County Marshal's Service.
Jeffrey McNair, assistant chief of the county marshal's service, said Hawk has not been issued a new access card since Jan. 1, when she took office.
The records also show that Hawk used the access card twice during the week of July 20. News 8 has confirmed that she was sick and out of the office three of those business days.
She used her parking access card on July 27 and July 28 — which News 8 has learned was the final two days that she was actually in the office.
Those familiar with the situation say it was that point that Hawk's depression issues had become too overwhelming for her and she decided to take some time off from work.
"She just needed to accept what was happening and make a decision about how she was dealing with it," the source said.
