'Justice for Justin’ protest held outside initial hearing in death of abused 6-year-old boy

ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. --  A couple charged with the murder of a 6-year-old boy in Elkhart County made their first appearance in court Thursday morning.

Franklin Elmore and Cheyenne Elmore were both arrested earlier this month in connection with the death of Franklin Elmore’s son, six-year-old Justin Elmore.

Preliminary evidence shows the child suffered severe abuse prior to his death. The couple had initially told investigators that the boy had behavioral issues and hit himself, but investigators say the evidence tells a different story of his father beating him to death.

Outside the Elkhart County Courthouse, while the initial hearing was underway, a small group of demonstrators gathered, calling for justice not only for Justin, but for what they say is a failure of the system meant to protect children like him.

Justin’s mother, Miranda McBride, spoke with ABC57 over the phone this morning. She described her son as a loving boy with the brightest smile, who loved dinosaurs, Toy Story, and Paw Patrol.

She hopes his story will make a change.

Although she lives out of state and was not present for today’s hearing or protest, other mothers who say they share her pain organized the protest.

“I really resonate with this story,” said protest organizer Alyssa Host. “I have a little boy the same age. I can’t even fathom going through what she’s going through right now. And honestly, probably a lot of families who are navigating the system have felt the same gut punch.”

McBride says she had reported concerns about her son’s safety to Elkhart County DCS last year. She says she was contacted by the boy’s paternal grandmother, who had noticed bruises on the child. She says after an investigation, no evidence was found to remove Justin from the home.

Alyssa Host says she experienced a similar situation after reporting abuse involving her own child. It's an issue she and two other women at today’s protest believe extends far beyond Elkhart County.

“It’s happening wide scale,” said Emersen Earhart, a family court justice advocate. “We’re begging people to pay attention. This child went through the court system with the same players that have been reported to the judicial commission repeatedly and never held accountable. A child died because people weren’t paying attention when all the signs were there.”

The group held signs with the words “Justice for Justin”, a phrase that’s also printed on T-shirts being sold by another mother to raise money for Justin’s funeral, which is scheduled for Saturday August 16.

The group is demanding answers and reform.

“What assurances do we have as citizens of this county, that the system is being held accountable? What are they doing to prevent other children in this area from dying at the hands of abusers?,” asked Host.

The Elmores are scheduled to return to court on September 11 for a pretrial conference. A jury trial has been scheduled for November 3, though that date is likely to change.