Mom Is Accused of Murdering Daughter, 5, Who Was Allegedly Locked in Closet and Covered in Waste
Toni McClure and her boyfriend Ryan Smith have been charged in connection with the death of Kinsleigh Welty
A woman and her boyfriend have been arrested in connection with the death of her 5-year-old child who was allegedly found “malnourished” in an Indianapolis, Ind., home last week, authorities say.
Officials from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to a report of an unresponsive child on Tuesday afternoon and found Kinsleigh Welty, 5, in circumstances “horrific and beyond comprehension,” department Chief Chris Bailey said in a statement.
Welty was transported to a hospital where she died, per the statement.
On Wednesday, police arrested Kinsleigh’s mother Toni McClure, 29, on several charges, including murder, and her boyfriend, Ryan Smith, 27, on charges of child neglect resulting in death, per the statement.
As they continued their investigation, police on Friday arrested Tammy Halsey, 53, for suspected child neglect in connection with Kinsleigh’s death, IMPD said in an update. Halsey was Kinsleigh’s grandmother, the statement said.
Kinsleigh was allegedly found with lice all over her face and feces plastered on her hair and feet, according to unspecified court documents cited by WRTV.
In a GoFundMe set up for her funeral costs, Kinsleigh’s great aunt Carrie Hogan expressed that she had previously had concerns about Kinsleigh’s wellbeing.
Hogan, identifying herself as the sister-in-law of Kinsleigh’s grandmother Tricia Welty, alleged that when Kinsleigh was three weeks old, the conditions in her home were investigated by the Department of Child Services. However, a “failed DCS system” allowed the children back into McClure’s care, Hogan believes.
Indianapolis City-County Councilor Joshua Bain has also claimed that the tragic death resulted from a systematic failure and called for an “immediate action to address the circumstances surrounding this tragedy,” FOX 59/CBS 4 reports.
“It boggles your mind,” Bain said during an interview with the outlet. “It makes you sick to your stomach.”
Indiana DCS did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comments.
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Online court records show McClure has been charged with murder, criminal confinement resulting in serious bodily injury and battery on a person under 14. Smith has been charged with three child neglect offenses and one count of criminal confinement resulting in serious bodily injury, per records.
The records did not show any plea information or attorneys listed for either McClure or Smith.
Halsey’s case information was not available in online court records as of Monday; jail records show she is being held on a charge of neglect of a dependent.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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