MONROE CO. — A mother and grandmother were arrested and charged with neglect after a 3-year-old girl died in what authorities describe as “deplorable conditions.”
Keera L. Braun, 27, the child’s mother, and Millissa D. Hicks, 50, the grandmother, face multiple felony charges following the death of the girl on Wednesday, August 13.
According to court documents, investigators found the home in the 4100 block of North Thomas Road to be in a state of extreme disrepair. Detective Jeffrey Ripley of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office reported that the residence was filled with animal feces, spoiled food, and excessive trash and had an insect infestation.
“The house was in such a deteriorated state that no one should have to reside in such conditions,” Ripley wrote in his report. Police also found various loose medications and tablets “readily accessible to children” throughout the home.
Delay in Seeking Medical Help
The investigation revealed that the child died from a brain injury caused by a prolonged lack of oxygen. While the exact circumstances of the injury are unclear, a doctor at Riley Hospital told Detective Ripley that the “lack of action” and the delay in seeking medical attention from Braun and Hicks contributed to the severity of her condition.”
According to an affidavit, Braun told police her daughter’s breathing was “off” and she was “acting weird” around 1:30 a.m. on August 8. She initially denied drug use other than cannabis, but later admitted to using “spice” the day before.
An 11-year-old boy in the home told officers that he found his sister unresponsive on the floor between midnight and 1 a.m. The boy stated that his mother and grandmother attempted CPR, after which his mother put her to bed and instructed him to check on her every 10 minutes. The mother and grandmother initially did not mention this medical emergency to the police, but later confirmed the 11-year-old’s account.
The girl was transported to IU Health in Bloomington before being moved to Riley Hospital in Indianapolis, where she died five days later.
Braun and Hickes were booked into the Monroe County Jail on a Level 1 felony charge of neglect of a dependent resulting in death and neglect of a dependent endangerment, a Level 6 felony. Both are being held in the Monroe County Jail with a $200,000.00 surety bond and $1,000.00 cash. Both appeared in Monroe Circuit Court 3 on Monday for an initial hearing.
The investigation is ongoing.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the Probable Cause Affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
