MONROE COUNTY — A four-year-old child is safe and back in the care of their legal guardians following a swift, multi-agency response to a late-night residential burglary and abduction in Monroe County.
Deputies with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a local residence on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at 11:47 p.m. after receiving a frantic call from a grandparent. According to law enforcement, the caller reported that the child’s biological mother had forced her way into the home, assaulted the grandparents, and fled with the four-year-old in a vehicle to an unknown destination.
Upon arriving at the scene, responding deputies confirmed that the biological mother possesses no legal custodial rights and that the child resides permanently with the grandparents.
Rapid Response Leads to Quick Recovery
Recognizing the immediate danger, law enforcement deployed urgent investigative measures, including initiating an emergency GPS ping on the suspect’s cellular phone to track the vehicle’s location.
The effort yielded rapid results. Just 30 minutes after the initial dispatch, at approximately 12:17 a.m. on July 20, deputies located the suspect vehicle traveling within the Bloomington city limits.
Officers conducted a successful traffic stop, taking two adult suspects into custody without further incident. The four-year-old recovered completely unharmed and was swiftly returned home to the grandparents.
Suspects Booked on Multiple Felony Charges
The two individuals taken into custody were identified as Alexandra Porter, 35, and Lena Volpe, 25.
Both women were transported to the Monroe County Jail and booked on the following preliminary criminal charges:
- Burglary of a dwelling , a Level 4 felony
- Kidnapping with victim less than 14 years old, a Level 5 felony
- Battery with bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor)
- Battery without injury a Class B misdemeanor
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office noted that the successful resolution and swift recovery were aided by joint support from the Bloomington Police Department and the Indiana State Police.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent until proven guilty through a fair and due legal process. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
