Indianapolis, IN

Grandmother pushes for accountability from DCS after death of her granddaughter

Published

1 year ago

June 18, 2023

Grandmother pushes for accountability from DCS after death of her granddaughter

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis woman says she is fighting for more accountability from the Department of Child Services.

This comes after her granddaughter was allegedly beaten to death by her daughter’s girlfriend.

“Berry was a happy baby. She loved Baby Shark. She loved everybody,” Maria Dingui said.

Police say Maria’s granddaughter, Erieomairy, who went by the nickname “Berry,” died after being found critically injured in a hotel room at the La Quinta Inn, located in the 2300 block of Post Drive, in May 2022.

Provided by family

“I remember that day. It was raining, but I didn’t even feel the rain coming down because I was so angry,” Maria said.

This week, 24-year-old Iesha Bryant was arrested and charged with Murder, Aggravated Battery and Neglect of a Dependent Resulting in Death.

According to court documents, Berry’s mother told police what happened. She said the night her daughter died, she saw Bryant punch the toddler in the stomach, which made her fall back and hit her head on the edge of the tub.

“Still today, I’m fighting to tell myself that she is really gone,” Maria said.

Court documents state that when Berry’s mother was in the shower, she heard a loud noise that sounded like something hitting the wall. After that, Berry was put to bed and never woke up.

“Don’t stop fighting,” Maria said. “It’s been a year and I’ve been fighting by myself.”

Court documents show Maria reported the abuse to DCS a number of times. She told them if they did not step in, the baby would die.

“Keep fighting for the system to change,” Maria said.

Now she is working to make sure situations like this do not happen again.

“They deserved to be listened to. I’m fighting for Berry and all of the other kids who can’t speak up for themselves,” Maria said.

What to do if you suspect a child is being abused

If you suspect a child is victim of abuse or neglect, you’re required by law to report it to the Indiana Department of Child Services hotline at 1-800-800-5556.

The state receives 207,117 reports to the hotline in 2022, down from 231,091 reports in 2021.

When you call, a hotline worker enters your report into a case management system and determines if it meets the legal definition of abuse/neglect.

A hotline supervisor then reviews the report and sends it to a local DCS office who may “screen out” the report or assign it to a family case manager.

A family case manager contacts the family and must complete an assessment within 40 days.

As part of that investigation, the family case manager conducts interviews with potential victims and witnesses.

The family case manager will then substantiate abuse/neglect against the alleged perpetrator or unsubstantiate based on the preponderance of evidence.

If abuse is substantiated, DCS enters into a plan with the family or opens a Child In Need of Services (CHINS) case.

In most cases, DCS needs a court order to remove children from the home, child welfare experts tell WRTV.

The court can place them in foster care or keep them in the home with court-ordered services.

Parents have the right to have a detention hearing held by a court within 48 hours after the child’s removal from the home, and the right to request the return of the child at such hearing.

Once a child is removed, they become a ward of the state.

DCS can file a petition to terminate parental rights (TPR) when they are convinced that the birth parents will never complete required services.

By law, DCS is required to file a TPR when the child has been out of the home 15 of the most recent 22 months.

If a court terminates parental rights, the child can be adopted unless the parent appeals the ruling.

As WRTV has reported, 60 children died as a result of abuse and neglect in 2021.

A total of 271 child deaths were investigated by DCS; 281 deaths were investigated in 2020.

The full report can be found here.

PREVIOUS: DCS: 50 children died from abuse or neglect in Indiana in 2020

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Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis man dies in head-on collision with semi on US 421

Published

4 hours ago

November 27, 2024

Press Room

Indianapolis man dies in head-on collision with semi on US 421

NAPOLEON, Ind. (WISH) — A 47-year-old Indianapolis man died in a head-on collision with a semitractor-trailer on Wednesday morning in southeastern Decatur County, Indiana State Police say.

Joseph L. Arthur died in the crash reported just before 7 a.m. Wednesday on U.S. 421 near County Road 700 East. That’s a rural area with a few homes just northwest of the Decatur County border with Ripley County, and about a 15-minute drive southeast of the city of Greensburg.

Investigators think Arthur was driving a 2010 Pontiac “passenger vehicle” southbound on U.S. 421 when, for an unknown reason, he lost control, crossed the centerline, and collided with a northbound 2014 Freightliner semi pulling a trailer, according to a news release issued Wednesday night from state police.

Michael S. Olsen, 55, of Charlotte, Michigan, was driving the semi, which burst into flames after the crash. He exited the semi with minor injuries, state police say.

Crash reconstructionists, who had not completed their work as of Wednesday night, believe speed may have been a factor in the fatal crash.

U.S. 421 was closed in both directions for about five hours for the crash investigation and cleanup.

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Indianapolis, IN

Colts Drop in ESPN Power Rankings After Embarrassing Lions Loss

Published

12 hours ago

November 27, 2024

Press Room

Colts Drop in ESPN Power Rankings After Embarrassing Lions Loss

The Indianapolis Colts (5-7) were no match for the red-hot Detroit Lions (10-1), as the Colts fell to the NFC’s top team 24-6.

Self-inflicted wounds were the theme of the day for Indy. The offensive line committed five penalties, wiping away big plays while allowing a 46% pressure rate on the day. The tight ends also did not have a banner day, dropping passes and not executing when given the opportunity.

Ultimately, the supporting cast around Anthony Richardson made too many mistakes for the team to overcome, resulting in the worst loss of the season for Indy.

Because of the brutal loss, the Colts saw a drop in the Week 13 ESPN NFL power rankings. The Colts fell from 19th to 21st in the rankings, dropping below the Cincinnati Bengals (4-7) at 20th. Indy is the only 5-7 team in the league, but the Bengals are ranked higher despite having a worse record.

By falling to 21st, ESPN believes the Colts are a bottom-third team in the NFL this season. It is hard to argue with that fact, as the Colts have largely lost to better teams in the league while taking care of business against the bad teams. The Colts only have one win against a team with a winning record this season, a 27-24 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3).

What happens next for the Colts? Don’t miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) runs with the ball in a blue jersey.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) runs with the ball Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, during a game against the Detroit Lions at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. / Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Included with the power rankings, the NFL Nation reporters were asked to look at the ESPN Analytics’Football Power Index (FPI) rankings for offense, defense, and special teams, and assess if the rankings portray an accurate picture of the team. Here are the current FPI rankings for the Colts:

Offense: 22nd
Defense: 20th
Special Teams: 13th

Holder believes these rankings to be fairly accurate for what the Colts have produced this season.

“These rankings seem about right when looking at the Colts’ inconsistent results and current 1-4 stretch,” Holder wrote. “They have shown flashes of promise in all areas, but there are fundamental issues undermining every phase of their team. The offensive line is suddenly an issue, which is severely limiting what was a solid running game. Defensively, the Colts are 17th in scoring defense (22.8 points), but that’s offset by giving up 375.8 yards per game (28th). Special teams would be better if not for kicker Matt Gay’s occasional misses (his 87.5% field goal percentage ranks 21st).”

The Colts will look to climb both the power rankings and FPI rankings this Sunday when they take on the New England Patriots (3-9). A win before their bye week would go a long way toward getting the Colts back on track.

Want more Colts content? Check out the latest episode of the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast!

Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and X, and subscribe on YouTube for multiple Colts live-stream podcasts per week.

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Indianapolis, IN

Circle of Lights 2024: What to know about the Indianapolis tradition, road closures

Published

20 hours ago

November 27, 2024

Press Room

Circle of Lights 2024: What to know about the Indianapolis tradition, road closures

Circle of Lights will return the day after Thanksgiving to celebrate its 62nd anniversary. The beloved Indianapolis tradition, presented by IBEW Local 481, turns Monument Circle into a giant Christmas tree.

Each year, members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 481 assemble the lights and decorations. Look for more than 50 strands of lights that include more than 4,000 LED-colored lights. The tradition dates back to 1962, though the monument was decorated for Christmas annually for more than a decade before that.

Here’s what to know about this year’s performers, street closures, times and festivities.

Who will perform in 2024

Still fresh off his win on Season 19 of America’s Got Talent, Richard Goodall, a school janitor from Terre Haute, will sing at the celebration. The performances also will include local performers and musical acts chosen from the Tom Wood Talent Search.

This year, the performance stage will be on the north side of the Circle because of construction on the south steps of Soldiers and Sailors Monument.

After Circle of Lights, Spark Holidays on the Circle will hold additional free activities within the northwest bollards of Monument Circle. From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 22, look for musical performances, appearances from Santa Claus and hot cocoa and coffee for purchase.

When is Circle of Lights?

The festivities begin at 6 p.m., and the winner of the AES Coloring Contest will help Santa turn on the lights just after 6:50 p.m. The event will air on WTHR Ch. 13.

What streets will be closed for Circle of Lights?

Between 6 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. Friday, Monument Circle and all of its spokes will be closed to vehicles, according to Downtown Indy’s weekly traffic alert. Closures on Friday include:

Meridian Street between Ohio and Washington Streets,
Market Street between Pennsylvania and Illinois Streets,
a partial closure of Meridian’s northbound land between Maryland and Pearl Streets from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

People can enter and exit Circle of Lights from Market Street on the east and west sides as well as on the Circle’s south side off Washington Street. The ADA drop-off area will be on Market Street, and those who need accessibility will be directed to a dedicated viewing area.

The stage, on the north side of the Circle this year, will face the monument. No one will be able to access the event from the north side of the Circle.

How long will Circle of Lights be up?

The public can see the lights each night for free through Jan. 10.

From 5 a.m. Jan. 11 to 11:59 p.m. Jan. 17, the inner curb lane of Monument Circle will be partially closed to remove the lights.

Looking for things to do? Our newsletter has the best concerts, art, shows and more — and the stories behind them

Contact IndyStar reporter Domenica Bongiovanni at 317-444-7339 or d.bongiovanni@indystar.com. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @domenicareports.

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