3-month-old infant safely recovered in Merrillville following Marshall County Abduction Alert

Tuesday, July 7, 2026 at 7:45 PM

By Kathy Bottorff

A 3-month-old infant was safely recovered Tuesday afternoon in Merrillville after law enforcement agencies worked quickly together to track down a vehicle connected to an abduction investigation out of Marshall County.

At approximately 12:30 p.m., Merrillville Central Dispatch received notification from Marshall County that a vehicle associated with the abduction of the infant had been detected in the area by a Flock License Plate Reader — an automated license plate recognition system. Merrillville Police officers immediately responded and swiftly located the suspect vehicle. The infant was found unharmed.

An adult female suspect was taken into custody without incident and is being held pending further investigation by the appropriate agency.

The Merrillville Police Department credited interagency cooperation as a key factor in the successful outcome. "Outstanding cooperation between law enforcement agencies led to the rapid sharing of information and a swift officer response, giving us the best possible outcome," the department said in a statement. "We commend the professionalism and dedication of all officers and dispatch personnel involved in this successful response."

A press conference to discuss further details is scheduled for Wednesday morning at 9:30 a.m. GIANT fm WTCA will provide additional information as it becomes available.