An Indiana woman was arrested earlier last week and charged with multiple new counts of child neglect, according to court records. She is now facing new claims about the care of her four young children when she was on probation for a previous neglect case that resulted in the death of her infant daughter several years ago.
According to a probable cause affidavit, around 9:15 p.m. on Sunday, Indiana authorities responded to an apartment complex. The defendant’s mother received a distressing phone call from her 8-year-old grandchild. Officers responded to a weeping and frightened kid who had been left alone at home with her three younger siblings, a 6-year-old, a 2-year-old, and a 4-month-old infant, for the past two weeks.
This was not the first time the parent had been under court supervision. She was on probation following a 2019 incident where a 6-month-old baby died from blunt force injuries. She was originally charged with neglect resulting in death, but in 2023, she pleaded guilty to the lower charge of neglect resulting in injury as part of a plea arrangement. The ensuing sentence spared her prison time, instead imposing two years of home detention and two years of probation.
During the most recent investigation, officers arrived to find the residence in chaos. The residence was described as littered with trash and rotting food, and officers observed that the children’s beds lacked suitable bedding. When they discovered a negligent atmosphere, they arrested the mother and charged her with further counts of child neglect.
When confronted by the police, the defendant reportedly explained her absences by claiming that she had been out of the house regularly and had assumed that her oldest child was caring for the younger children. She informed them that the grandma had been in town but was not staying in the apartment. Officers observed her uncertainty about the duration of her absence and her lack of a feasible plan for the children’s care.
The investigation is underway. Prosecutors are preparing a move to revoke her probation based on the new claims, which could result in her completing the remainder of her previous sentence in jail. For the additional charges, the county jail is holding the mother without bond.
Court documents show that the defendant’s next hearing is planned for the coming weeks, at which judges will review both her current negligence charges and the prosecution’s motion to remove her probation. If her probation is revoked, she might face significant time in prison. As investigations continue, the safety of her children remains a key priority for child protective services and authorities working on the case.
