Inset, top to bottom: Benjamin J. Tackett and Kayla T. Thompson (Jennings County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The area in North Vernon, Indiana, where the couple lived with their 8-month-old daughter (Google Maps).
In a distressing case out of Indiana, a young couple has been apprehended following alarming allegations of child neglect. Benjamin Joseph Tackett and Kayla Therese Thompson, both 25 years old, are facing serious charges after authorities claimed they starved and neglected their 8-month-old daughter. Reports indicate that the baby was often confined in a separate bedroom for stretches up to 10 hours while her parents slept. As a result, both Tackett and Thompson have been charged with two counts each of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury and additional charges of neglect, according to officials.
The Jennings County Sheriff’s Office revealed that the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) had reached out to them regarding suspicions of neglect involving the infant girl. This prompted detectives to initiate an investigation into the troubling claims. The sheriff’s office released a statement detailing the findings of their probe.
“Upon investigation, it became evident that the 8-month-old was suffering from severe malnutrition, neglect related to hygiene, severe dermatitis, and developmental setbacks,” the statement read. Shockingly, at eight months, the child weighed only about nine pounds, highlighting the extent of her neglect.
Authorities also discovered several other children residing in the same home. All of these children were subsequently removed from the premises and are now in the care of suitable guardians. The family home, located on Rothshire Circle in North Vernon, lies approximately 65 miles southeast of Indianapolis.
To build a comprehensive understanding of the situation, detectives not only consulted with medical professionals and DCS caseworkers but also conducted interviews with the other children from the household. This was followed by questioning the parents, Tackett and Thompson.
In interviews conducted under the Miranda rights, both parents reportedly confessed to knowingly neglecting their daughter. This admission further solidified the charges against them, according to the police.
“Benjamin and Kayla advised detectives during interviews that they were tired after work, and at times locked the child in a separate bedroom for approximately 10 hours at a time so they could sleep,” the release states. “At the conclusion of the investigation, detectives requested an arrest warrant for Benjamin Tackett and Kayla Thompson.”
A probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime provided additional details about the case, including previous DCS reports involving the victim’s “severe malnourishment, hygiene issues, and developmental delays attributed to caregiver neglect without underlying medical causes.”
The couple allegedly admitted to missing multiple medical appointments for their daughter and conceded that her weight “was due to lack of effort from mom and dad.”
Neither Tackett nor Thompson has previously been charged with a crime in Indiana, court records show.
The mother and father were both booked and processed into the Jennings County Jail and are currently scheduled to appear in court before Circuit Judge Murielle S. Bright on Nov. 13.
