Woman charged with Identity Deception after report to DCS
St. Joseph Superior Court ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- St. Joseph County prosecutors have charged 45-year-old Gloria Niedbalski with Identity Deception, a Level Six Felony, and False Informing, a Misdemeanor.
Officials state Niedbalski made a call to the Indiana Department of Child Services hotline claiming St. Joseph County Councilwoman Amy Drake's two children were home alone in early December.
Drake was at a County Council meeting in New Carlisle while the call was made.
Police say Niedbalski claimed to be Drake's elderly neighbor who they later learned hasn't lived there in more than two years.
Police later traced the call back to her family business.
Records show the call came from her phone, even though she denied making the call.
Drake's husband and two older children were home at the time of the call.
Councilwoman Amy Drake released the following statement the morning of March 10:
"I am grateful to learn that one of the persons responsible for swatting my family and endangering their lives was arrested and charged with crimes this week.
This horrific act in December was traumatizing. My family was awakened in the middle of the night with armed police officers pounding on the front door of our home. Police and a DCS employee were there based on a false report that my children were home alone and in danger.
Swatting incidents like this are dangerous for all involved. I am thankful that no tragedy unfolded, because these types of situations have the potential to lead to fatal consequences.
Mine was just one of many swatting incidents aimed at government representatives recently in Indiana. Even worse, it came hours after several county council members and I voted against the suspect’s appointment to a county board. I am still shocked that anyone would engage in political vengeance like this.
I hope the perpetrator of this crime receives her just punishment, proving the seriousness of these crimes and deterring others from employing these dangerous methods to intimidate lawmakers.
Furthermore, I hope this will highlight misuses of the Indiana Department of Child Services hotline, where anonymous reporting can be weaponized to torment families.
I appreciate that the prosecutor and state police have pursued this case."
