BEDFORD — A welfare check for a local woman turned into a criminal investigation and an emergency detention on January 19, after Bedford Police officers discovered she had allegedly broken into a home in violation of a court order.
Abbey C. Turpen, 36, of Bedford, is facing several preliminary charges, including residential entry, invasion of privacy, criminal mischief, and resisting law enforcement.
The incident began at approximately 12:29 p.m. when Officer Steven Hatton Jr. was dispatched to a residence in the 800 block of J Street following reports that a female was threatening to overdose on pills.
Initially, the home appeared vacant. However, a family member later contacted dispatch, stating they had video chatted with Turpen and could see she was hiding inside the residence’s bathroom. Upon returning to the scene, Officer Hatton discovered the back door had been breached.
After confirming an active protective order was in place for that address, officers received permission from the homeowner to enter the home.
Officers located Turpen barricaded inside the bathroom. According to the affidavit, she used her body weight to block the door and refused to comply with verbal commands. Once officers forced entry, they discovered an open brown pocket knife on the floor and multiple blue pills on the sink.
During her removal from the home, police say Turpen resisted by pulling away and attempting to go “dead weight,” forcing officers to carry her to the patrol vehicle.
Due to self-inflicted injuries and her claims of an overdose, Turpen was transported to IU Health Bedford for an emergency detention.
Following the arrest, the resident returned to find significant damage to the property. Officer Turner was dispatched back to the J Street home at 4:24 p.m. to document the following:
| Damaged Item | Description | Estimated Value |
| Television | Allegedly stabbed multiple times with a knife | $600 |
| Motorcycle Seat | Upholstery ripped/slashed | $200 |
| Window | Broken from the outside | TBD |
In a disturbing discovery, investigators also located a piece of paper inside the residence with “Hit List” written at the top, followed by a list of names.
Officer Hatton filed the probable cause affidavit on January 27, 2026, requesting an arrest warrant for Turpen. The photographs of the damage, the pocket knife, and the active no-contact order were submitted as evidence to the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office.
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.
