I found race (according to the linked article and attorney cited there), being an officer (according to the primary salient fact in the linked article) or otherwise working in the local
criminal justice system, and being the first
case in a county (according to what distinguishing fact can be found in the article) as
potential determiners of whether or not charges are brought
against a caretaker.
The statute of limitations will not be extended if a
criminal case is pending
against the
potential defendants for your loved one's death, it will not be extended if you didn't know about the statute of limitations, and it will not be extended if you have been trying to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company.