Indianapolis Mother Charged in Death of 9-Month-Old Baby

Source: (Photo by Jiri Hera/Getty.)

INDIANAPOLIS–The mother of a 9-month-old baby who died in Indianapolis is charged with neglect of a dependent causing death and aggravated battery.

On Wednesday, December 6 just after 9 am, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Child Abuse Detectives went to investigate a report of an unresponsive child at a hospital. The infant had injuries consistent with trauma. The baby was in critical condition at that time.

On Friday, December 8, 36-year-old Ingris Marleni-Hernandez was arrested. IMPD says she is the child’s mother.

On Monday, December 11, they baby was pronounced dead by medical personnel. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office charged Marleni-Hernandez with neglect of a dependent causing death and aggravated battery on Tuesday, December 12.

Court documents say Marleni-Hernandez changed her story several times, but detectives say Marleni-Hernandez eventually told them she had shaken the baby for several minutes until the baby stopped crying. She claims she took the baby to the hospital to save the baby’s life.

The cause of the child’s death was ruled a homicide on December 13 by the Marion County Coroner’s Office.

A jury trial is scheduled for March.