Indianapolis, IN

‘We all came running.’ Residents, police rally to find missing 6-year-old Catalina Lubin

Published

1 year ago

January 30, 2025

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‘We all came running.’ Residents, police rally to find missing 6-year-old Catalina Lubin

Girl, 6, went missing after getting off her school bus
Estates at Crystal Bay residents helped with the search
Read a timeline of events

Mèsi, mèsi, mèsi.

That’s all a mother could say in her native Creole when she and her loved ones returned to their apartment — a no-longer-missing girl in tow.

The child was still wearing her pink puffy jacket police alerted as a descriptor in her disappearance hours earlier.

As the family walked away, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police began to pack up their K-9 units and squad cars left the complex for the next call. The chaos and fear felt moments earlier subsided.

But neighbors within the northwest side Estates at Crystal Bay complex who also helped search for Catalina Lubin — the 6-year-old who went missing after getting off her Washington Township school bus — remained.

“I mean we all came running,” Shanta Lewis told IndyStar. “I came outside and my mother instincts kicked in. I was banging on every door where I know little girls her age be.”

Lewis said about a dozen adults searched alongside law enforcement.

Relieved Lubin was found, Lewis hugged the mother and tried to communicate through English-speaking family members that she was available if they ever needed her.

Lewis remained puzzled by what happened during the time that Lubin was missing. The girl was last seen getting off the bus at about 2:45 p.m., but wouldn’t be found for six hours. Police have provided no details about where the girl was during that time.

Catalina Lubin, 6, missing inside Estates at Crystal Bay apartment complex

Lubin is a first grader at MSD Washington Township’s Spring Mill Elementary School.

Washington Township spokesperson, Ellen Rogers, told IndyStar that Lubin got off the school bus at her regular time and was last seen within her apartment community.

In the call out for the public’s help, police said Lubin was last seen getting on the bus at Spring Mill Elementary, raising questions about how she could be lost. Police later announced she’d exited the bus at the complex.

Lewis said her 11-year-old son got off the bus at the same time as Lubin.

“My son has been going to that school since he was seven and our bus driver knows us and our kids,” Lewis said, ”I’ve even seen the driver tell young kids to stay on the bus if there’s not an adult outside.”

Usually, Lewis said, Lubin leaves the bus stop with another girl or a woman waiting for her.

Lewis said there are two bus stops in the large complex and wondered why Lubin didn’t get off at the stop closest to her home.

The complex has 432 apartments that span roughly 40 acres. Lewis would often see the girl walk across a large field between apartment buildings to get to her home.

According to the search team, Lubin was found walking along a road in the neighborhood. She told police that she was at a friend’s house playing after school.

Lewis said the language barrier had been tough to communicate with the family, but the gratitude is universal.

“They all work together around here,” Lewis said. “We stick together. So I just hugged the family … It’s a village around my part of the complex.”

Police have not said if anyone could face charges in her disappearance.

Timeline of Lubin’s disappearance

2:45 p.m. Lubin gets off the school bus at her apartment complex. She wouldn’t be reported missing to police for six hours.

6:45 p.m. Police send out media blasts asking for the public’s help finding Lubin. They are unaware she got off the bus at this point and say she was last seen getting on the bus leaving Spring Mill Elementary.

7:05 p.m. After Lubin was reported missing, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police asked Speedway & Washington Township School police to assist with the search, police told IndyStar at the scene.

8 p.m. Police at the scene told IndyStar said they began knocking on doors and searching for the child.

8:16 p.m. The department announced IMPD’s Emergency Response Group was en route to search the area for Catalina.

8:25 p.m. Police had the school district send out an alert to parents on the ParentSquare portal. Rogers said the school district sent an evening message to both Spring Mill Elementary families and their staff.  

8:42 p.m. A silver alert was announced for Lubin and minutes later police announced she was located.

Jade Jackson is a Public Safety Reporter for the Indianapolis Star. You can email her at Jade.Jackson@IndyStar.com and follow her on X, formally Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON.

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Indianapolis, IN

Colts free agent running back signs with Atlanta Falcons

Published

10 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Colts free agent running back signs with Atlanta Falcons

ATLANTA (WISH) — Tyler Goodson, who played for the Indianapolis Colts the past three seasons, is joining a new team.

The Atlanta Falcons announced on Thursday that they have signed the free agent running back.

Goodson appeared in 33 games during his time in Indy, rushing for a total of 234 yards. He had one rushing touchdown back in 2024.

The rushing touchdown came during the Colts’ win over the Miami Dolphins that season. The rushing touchdown in that matchup was Goodson’s first career NFL touchdown during the regular season.

“For me it was a lot more exciting,” Goodson said following that game. “A moment I’ve been waiting for and it’s just surreal for me to be in this position. And I just thank God for it.”

Goodson also had 103 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown with the Colts. The receiving touchdown also came during the 2024 season, in a loss to the Buffalo Bills.

The move to the Falcons will be a homecoming of sorts for Goodson, who is a native of Suwanee, Georgia. He also attended North Gwinnett High School.

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Indianapolis, IN

Butler PD seeks help identifying suspects in Hinkle Fieldhouse break-in

Published

22 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Butler PD seeks help identifying suspects in Hinkle Fieldhouse break-in

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Butler University Police Department is seeking the public’s help in identifying a group of people who broke into and vandalized Hinkle Fieldhouse.

The incident happened sometime Saturday, according to a post from Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana.

Security camera video of the group – four males and one female – shows them entering the fieldhouse through a side door, entering one at a time before turning and disappearing out of view.

Crime Stoppers says the group vandalized a concession stand, stole alcoholic drinks, and then stole a $12,000 headset. Butler PD estimates the stolen communication equipment is valued at around $15,000.

Anyone with information was asked to contact Crime Stoppers. Officials say a reward of up to $1,000 will be offered for details leading to any arrests.

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Indianapolis, IN

Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konnor Griffin, MLB’s No. 1 prospect, opens season in Indy with Indians

Published

1 day ago

March 25, 2026

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Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konnor Griffin, MLB’s No. 1 prospect, opens season in Indy with Indians

INDIANAPOLIS — For the second time in three years, the biggest draw in minor league baseball has landed at Victory Field.

Konnor Griffin, MLB’s No. 1 prospect, nearly made Pittsburgh’s Opening-Day roster at the tender age of 19 years old, sparking the imagination of Pirates fans when he launched two home runs in the same Grapefruit League game in late February.

By all accounts, Pittsburgh considered bypassing the Triple-A level with Griffin altogether, keeping the young shortstop in major league camp until the final weekend of spring training.

But the Pirates ultimately decided Griffin needed to open the season with the Indians when they take on St. Paul at 6:35 p.m. Friday at Victory Field, turning Pittsburgh’s loss into a big gain for Indianapolis for the second time in three seasons.

Two years ago, the Pirates decided to ramp up superstar pitching prospect Paul Skenes slowly, a decision that gave fans in Indianapolis seven starts to see a pitcher who would almost immediately turn into one of the best pitchers in the game.

For longtime Indians broadcaster Howard Kellman, the chance to see Skenes and Griffin in Indianapolis uniforms in a span of three short years brought to mind the 1989 season, when future Hall of Famers Randy Johnson and Larry Walker played on the same Indians roster.

Griffin and Skenes obviously won’t play in Indianapolis together.

Their presence leaves an impact.

“That means a great deal,” legendary Indians broadcaster Howard Kellman said. “You’re looking at the stars of tomorrow.”

Griffin’s path to Indianapolis wasn’t like the one Skenes took to Victory Field.

Skenes was already battle-tested, a star who’d made his name pitching LSU to a College World Series title and a pitcher everybody knew was ready for the big leagues. The Pirates sent Skenes to Triple-A as part of an effort to ramp him up slowly, limiting the young pitcher’s innings in his rookie year.

Griffin still has something to prove.

Drafted out of high school with the No. 9 pick in 2024, Griffin shot up the prospect rankings by batting .333 and slugging .527 while going from Low-A Bradenton to High-A Greensboro to 21 games with Double-A Altoona to end the 2025 season.

The raw tools are undeniable. The power that got the baseball world talking in February is accompanied with speed, good defense at shortstop and every other tool a team could want.

“Tremendous young man, very mature for his age, goes about his work the right way, goes about the game the right way, great with his teammates,” Indians manager Eric Patterson said.

But Griffin still has to improve his pitch recognition. Frustrated by the insane amounts of spin that big-league pitchers put on the baseball, Griffin hit .148 with 11 strikeouts in his final 10 games, 27 at-bats in total.

He wanted to make the big-league team, and he probably pressed a little.

“I’m at my best when I’m playing freely, playing fun, having a good time,” Griffin said. “I’m trying to get back to that, not worrying too much about the pressure outside.”

Griffin is also adjusting to life as baseball’s top prospect, a level of attention that essentially changed overnight. While he was obviously a top-10 pick in 2024, there were eight players taken ahead of him, including Oakland’s Nick Kurtz, who won the American League Rookie of the Year award.

A high school pick like Griffin is supposed to take a couple of years to develop into a top prospect, attention building along the way.

Griffin essentially went from a relative unknown to carrying the weight of Pittsburgh’s expectations in a span of about six months, although he’s adamant that the increased attention doesn’t affect him.

“It’s definitely internal,” Griffin said. “I don’t worry too much about the outside noise. I have high expectations for myself.”

Whatever the reason for Griffin’s slide in the final two weeks of spring training, he knows what he needs to change.

“Being thrown into the fire, facing those big-league arms, that was a good experience for me,” Griffin said.

Big-league pitchers are going to take advantage of a hitter who chases too many offerings outside the strike zone, and Griffin was swinging too much, uncharacteristic of a player whose on-base percentage was .415 across three levels last season.

“Take your walks, get on base, affect the game,” Griffin said. “Being patient, getting the right pitches to hit, not trying to do too much every time I go up to the plate.”

The paths Skenes and Griffin took to get to Indianapolis are different.

The goal, now that they’re here, is the same. Skenes was called up to the big leagues on May 8; Griffin wants to force the Pirates to bring him up to Pittsburgh as soon as possible.

“For all of these guys, you’re an injury away from the big leagues, you’re a sneeze off the field away from the big leagues,” Patterson said. “It’s about preparing these guys for when they get the call.”

The entire baseball world thought Griffin would get the call before his 20th birthday.

And there’s still time. Griffin doesn’t turn 20 until April 24th.

Better get out to Victory Field to catch a glimpse of baseball’s No. 1 prospect while he’s still here.

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