Nine people charged for allegedly locking 3-year-old in box

Police charged 9 people in Pulaski County Wednesday morning for allegedly locking a 3-year-old in a wooden box for long periods of time.

On Tuesday, December 13th, the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office received information in reference to possible child abuse happening at a home near County Road 750 West and County Road 800 North. 

Police say they received information about a three-year-old girl being kept inside of a locked wooden box at a residence in that area. The information stated the 3-year-old female was locked in the box during the evening for extended periods of time. 

A search warrant was issued for the home out of Pulaski Circuit Court with the assistance of the Pulaski County Prosecutor’s Office. 

Deputies from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office executed the search warrant early Wednesday morning. During the execution of this search warrant, a 3-year-old female was located inside of a plywood box found in the living room of the residence. 

Deputies say multiple adults were inside the home located and a vehicle and camper on the property. All Police took all of those adults into custody and transported them to the Pulaski County Jail. 

Deputies located five additional juveniles and the victim inside of the residence. The juveniles were released at the scene into the custody of the Pulaski County Indiana Department of Child Services. 

42-year-old Donna Short, 25-year-old Christopher Short, and 18-year-old Patricia Meeks, all of North Judson, Indiana are being charged with Neglect of a Dependant, a level 5 felony.

19-year-old Michael Meeks, 38-year-old Thelma Meeks, 36-year-old Derrick Butala, 18-year-old Shawn Griffin, 19-year-old Anna Senesac, and 18-year-old Timothy Senesac, all of North Judson, Indiana are being charged with Failure to Report Child Abuse.

This is an ongoing investigation. Stay with ABC57 news as police say more information will be released when it becomes available.