An Indiana couple has been arrested on felony neglect charges after authorities discovered their 8-month-old daughter suffering from extreme malnourishment and poor living conditions.
According to the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office, Benjamin Joseph Tackett and Kayla Therese Thompson, both 25, were taken into custody for neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury.
Investigators found that the infant was “suffering from severe malnourishment, hygiene-related neglect, severe dermatitis, and developmental delays,” the sheriff’s office stated in a press release. At just eight months old, the child reportedly weighed only nine pounds.
Detectives said both parents admitted they had “knowingly” neglected their daughter. During interviews, Tackett and Thompson allegedly told investigators they were often “too tired after work” and would lock the baby in a separate room for up to 10 hours at a time so they could sleep, according to the release.
Authorities said the investigation began when the Indiana Department of Child Services contacted the sheriff’s office about concerns for the child’s wellbeing.
A warrant was subsequently issued, and the couple was arrested on November 5. Other children living in the North Vernon residence were removed by child protective services.
A court hearing for Tackett and Thompson is scheduled for November 13.
