A Logansport police officer is facing charges of neglect of a dependent after an incident went viral via social media in January during extreme cold temperatures, raising concerns from the community.
According to court documents, Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland filed two felony charges of neglect of a dependent against Logansport Police Officer Cody Scott and his wife Kylie Scott on Friday, March 7.
The charges come after Indiana State Police first launched an investigation on the Scotts, who were accused of child neglect publicly on a Facebook post in January that showed a small child standing in extreme cold temperatures outside of their home holding a degrading sign.
It was confirmed by Indiana State Police Public Information Officer Steven Glass that a full investigation was started in January and was sent to the Cass County Prosecutor's Office in February. It was reported that the Cass County Department of Child Services had also assisted with the investigation. McLeland of Carroll County was later appointed special prosecutor for the case.
The original Facebook post was made by a passerby of the residence who reported their observation to police. At the time of the 911 call, the concerned citizen stated the young girl appeared to be cold, shivering and emotionally upset while holding a sign that read, “I want to stab and kill my brother, I even take an antipsychotic. If you need to give pity, then give it to the victims.”
Aware of the child's father being a Logansport Police Officer, the woman reporting the incident requested that the officer being dispatched to the scene not be the girl's father. Regardless of the request, however, the caller claimed that the father was the first officer to arrive on scene, but said another officer did eventually arrive around 10 minutes later. It was also reported that during the interaction with police, the girl's mother was allegedly seen giggling while watching out the window. Feeling uneasy about the situation, the caller eventually decided to post the photo to social media, publicly highlighting the situation.
“As an organization committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and service to the community, Logansport Police Department is dedicated to ensuring that all actions by officers are consistent with our values and policies,” said Logansport Police Department Chief Travis Yike in a press release earlier this year.
Officer Scott has been on administrative leave since the incident in January.
The Scott's each paid a $500 Monday at the Cass County Jail. A no contact order was issued upon their release. Both of the defendants are due to appear in the Cass County Circuit Court on Thursday, March 13.
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