Dana Keel is the ex-wife of Richard Keel. Their daughter Katie is one of the children replaced by a changeling.
Season 3[]
As Katie's mother steps outside of her house, her ex-husband Richard pulls into the drive way to drop off their daughter on what was supposed to be his day to have her. Katie runs to her mom. Dana thanks him for driving her back, but he says that he really had no choice because she "pitched a fit." As he leaves, Dana asks her what's wrong. She says calmly at first that she just missed her. When Dana reminds her that its her dad's night, she starts to become more animated, saying she doesn't want her dad to have a night anymore. She never wants to go back to his house again because he's mean and the monsters there will get her. Dana is baffled by her behavior, as Katie usually loves to go to her dad's house.
Dana and Katie
Richard later dies in his garage in a freak accident involving a power saw. When the story catches Dean's eye, he tries to convince Sam that it's a case they should check out. Sam doubts that one unfortunate accident constitutes a case. Dean finally admits that he wants to check out the case because it's in Cicero, Indiana—the town where he spent a very memorable weekend with a yoga instructor named Lisa Braeden about eight years ago.
In Cicero, Dean arrives at Lisa's house. She is having a party for her son Ben's 8th birthday. It turns out that Dana is a friend of Lisa's, and she and Katie arrive at the party. While Katie is outside standing alone watching the other children play, Dana confides to Lisa that she thinks something is wrong with Katie. Lisa says of course there's something wrong with her; she just lost her dad. Dana tries to explain that what's wrong is that she doesn't think that Katie is her Katie. Lisa cuts her off, insisting that it's her grief talking and assuring her that they are going to find her some help. Dana is obviously offended, and turns and calls out to Katie to leave. Dean comes in and notices Dana leaving in a huff and asks Lisa if something's wrong. She tells him that she's going through a lot because her ex was just killed in a horrible accident, the latest in a run of bad luck in the Morning Hill gated community.
Later, as she was napping on the sofa, she woke up to find Katie sitting next to her, staring. Katie wants her to get up and play with her. As she rises, Katie wraps her arms around her waist and tells her she loves her. When she happened to look up at the wall mirror and sees the reflection of a grey, slimy-skinned creature embracing her. She is mortified and pulls back to re-focus on the mirror and on Katie. Katie calmly announces that she's hungry.
Dana finds the spot where the changeling fed from her.
Dana tries to rub a pain out of the back of her neck as she makes a sandwich for Katie. She serves it to her and then goes into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She positions herself between the bathroom mirror and a hand mirror and locates the inflamed circular bruise that is the source of her pain. As she tries to examine it, Katie is wildly pounding on the locked door, screaming for her to open it and let her in. She only stops when the door bell rings. After an exasperated Dana eventually slams the door in the pushy Realtor's face, she turns around to find Katie right behind her, asking for ice cream.
Dana prepares to take changeling Katie for a ride.
Dana straps Katie into the backseat of the car with the promise of ice cream. Katie relentlessly paws at her, repeatedly telling her how much she loves her. Dana climbs into the car, adjusts her rear view mirror and sees the reflection of a monster in her backseat. She drives to the lake and tearfully positions the car on the boat launch. She gets out, releases the brake, steps back and watches it roll. Katie makes no sound or attempt to escape from the car, but simply turns her head to look at Dana. She does not avert her gaze as the car is slowly swallowed up by the lake.
She's back.
Dana is sobbing as she slowly walks back into her house. When she reaches the kitchen, she is horrified to see Katie sitting there, completely drenched and dripping on the floor. Katie turns and looks at her, and asks with a great big smile if she can have her ice cream now.