Newburgh man gets 40-year sentence in toddler’s death
A southwestern Indiana man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison in the neglect death of his girlfriend’s 10-month-old son.
Child Abuse
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Reversal: DCS failed to take reunification steps in TPR case
An Indiana Court of Appeals panel has reversed for two parents in a termination of parental rights case after finding that reasonable efforts were not made by the Department of Child Services to reunify them with their children.
Supreme Court condemns DCS ‘piecemeal litigation’ in CHINS reversal
Criticizing the Department of Child Services for attempting to take a “second bite of the proverbial apple” by filing a successive CHINS petition, the Indiana Supreme Court has reversed a CHINS adjudication and instead dismissed the petition with prejudice.
Appeals court orders man’s release from pretrial detention in child battery case
A man accused of battering a 2-year-old was ordered released from jail Tuesday by the Indiana Court of Appeals after it found no evidence that he posed a threat to either the victim or the community.
Hearing officer: No discipline necessary for lawyer in Park Tudor sex scandal
Despite a finding that prominent Indianapolis employment attorney Michael Blickman violated an ethical rule in his handling of a student-teacher sex scandal at Park Tudor High School, the hearing officer in Blickman’s disciplinary case is not recommending any action against his law license.
CHINS ruling upheld despite impermissible phone testimony
A child in need of services adjudication was upheld Thursday by the Indiana Court of Appeals after it found that the admission of testimony by phone from a doctor amounted to harmless error.
Schererville man charged in death of girlfriend’s son, 5
A northwestern Indiana man has been charged with murder in the death of his girlfriend’s 5-year-old son, whose bruised body had fresh bite marks.
COA: Striking child with cord not protected parental discipline
An Indianapolis mother convicted of felony battery after striking her son with an electrical cord failed to convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that the charges against her could be defeated by the concept of parental privilege.
7th Circuit: Mother’s sentence, restitution order affirmed in child porn case
A Hammond woman convicted for possession of child porn will keep her enhanced sentence and restitution order after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the rulings in her case Friday.
Tougher Indiana law on under-18 marriages clears Statehouse
Anyone younger than 18 will need a judge’s permission to get married in Indiana under a law change approved by state legislators. The measure endorsed almost unanimously by lawmakers would repeal the state’s current law that allows those as young as 15 to marry if they have parental consent.
COA affirms charges brought under new cause number
The Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed the denial of a man’s motion to dismiss charges brought against him in a new cause after the state sought to refile the case to tidy up the record, finding no abuse of discretion in the decision.
Court dismisses suit that sought to provide attorneys to CHINS children
A lawsuit filed by 10 Hoosier children who argued Indiana should be required to provide legal counsel to youngsters involved in children in need of services proceedings was dismissed Tuesday in federal court. Attorneys who filed the case, however, indicated the matter is far from over.
Indianapolis man facing fines in Ky. for employing children to sell candy
Kentucky is seeking $45,000 in fines from an Indiana man who is accused of using children to sell candy in Bowling Green. Shawn Floyd, 55, also faces 12 felony charges of human trafficking.
Virginia woman accused of abducting 4 kids found in Plainfield
A Virginia woman accused of abducting her four children and leading authorities on a nationwide chase for several months was taken into custody Wednesday morning in Plainfield, authorities said.
Man sentenced in death of girlfriend’s 18-month-old daughter
A northeastern Indiana man is heading to prison on a 35-year sentence in the death of his girlfriend’s 18-month-old daughter.
Senate passes bill restricting depositions of child sex crime victims
Alleged child sex crime victims would be subjected to discovery depositions only in rare circumstances under a bill that passed the Indiana Senate on a nearly unanimous vote. Adoption of the legislation would remove Indiana from the handful of states that do not shield child sex crimes victims from pretrial depositions.
Franklin College president ousted after arrest in Wisconsin
Franklin College terminated President Thomas Minar over the weekend after he was arrested in Wisconsin “for use of a computer to facilitate a sex crime, child enticement, and to expose a child to harmful materials/narrations,” the school said Monday afternoon.
Shelbyville man gets 200 years for child sexual exploitation
A man who pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography has been sentenced to 200 years in federal prison, the federal prosecutor’s office for the Southern District of Indiana announced.
Commission seeks attorney’s suspension in Park Tudor sex scandal discipline case
The Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission is calling for the suspension of a prominent Indianapolis employment attorney it accused of possessing child pornography in the fallout of a teacher-student sex scandal at Park Tudor High School. His defense team counters that no sanction is warranted.
Report blames 65 Indiana child deaths on abuse or neglect
A new report shows that 65 Indiana children died from abuse or neglect during 2018, the same number as its last year-long review. The Indiana Department of Child Services said it investigated 242 child fatalities that happened in 2018, determining 26% of those deaths were from abuse or neglect.