GREENWOOD, Ind. -- A 7-year-old girl at the center of the second Amber Alert has been found safe after she was reported abducted from Greenwood, and police now say they plan to seek criminal charges against the child's mother.
The Center Grove School Police Department was looking for Isabella Negri, who was last seen at 10 a.m. in Greenwood and was believed to be "in extreme danger" before she was reported safe around 3 p.m.
Police believed the child was abducted by her non-custodial mother, 27-year-old Morgan Negri, but she told Call 6 Investigates' Paris Lewbel that this was a custody misunderstanding. She said she was taking her daughter to a dentist appointment when the Amber Alert was called in by her husband after two had talked about the appointment.
Morgan Negri and her husband (Isabella's dad) divorced in July 2015.
The Center Grove Police Department released a statement on Wednesday saying they plan to seek criminal charges against Negri, after their investigation found sufficient evidence showing that she intentionally interfered with child custody. The case is being turned over to the Johnson County Prosecutor.
Court documents show an emergency custody order was issued hours before the Amber Alert was declared. Morgan Negri said it happened at a hearing she didn't know about, and that she was non-custodial for only two hours before the alert was issued.
Isabella's father was granted sole legal and physical custody, with a court ruling “the minor child's physical and emotional development will be effected detrimentally if any Parenting Time is granted to Mother. Therefore, Parenting Time is DENIED. Emergency Order to be submitted on Custody, Parenting Time and support.”
Morgan and her husband were scheduled to attend a hearing at 9:30 a.m. in Johnson County court, but Morgan didn't show up.
Morgan Negri said when she heard about the Amber Alert, the first thing she did was call police so they didn't think she was fleeing with her daughter.
"I called before the cop even got it on his phone," Morgan Negri said.
Isabella’s father testified their daughter had numerous tardy days and unexcused absences from school, which resulted in a Child Protective Services investigation.
Morgan Negri's ex-husband also testified that she totaled her vehicle in a parking lot while Isabella was in the car and she was not wearing proper safety restraints.
Court records show Morgan Negri recently tested positive for the use of opiates.
Court documents also show Morgan Negri’s boyfriend has a pending drug charge, and is also involved in a current CPS investigation.
On Tuesday the judge decided to issue the emergency custody modification, and awarded physical and legal custody to Isabella's father.
The judge also terminated the father’s child support obligation, and ordered the mother to pay $73 per week in child support starting Tuesday.
Another hearing is scheduled for Nov. 22 at 9:30 am.
At this time, Morgan Negri has not been criminally charged in the alleged abduction of Isabella Tuesday.
Morgan Negri is represented by Greenwood attorney Donna Jameson.
Call 6 Investigates reached out to Jameson’s office about the Amber Alert, but they declined to comment.
Morgan Negri was charged with theft in 2014, but pleaded to a less serious conversion charge.
She was also charged in 2013 with possession of a controlled substance and criminal conversion, but the charges were dismissed.
Morgan Negri also has numerous driving violations on her record including speeding and driving on a suspended license.
This latest Amber Alert comes just a day after another Amber Alert was issued Monday in Indiana for two missing children out of Fort Wayne. Those children were later found dead, and their non-custodial mother was arrested and charged with murder.
A body found soon after the Monday Amber Alert is "related" to the kids' deaths, according to police in Fort Wayne. Read more about that developing story here.
What is an Amber Alert?
An AMBER Alert is a rapid notification system to alert the public and solicit their assistance when a child has been abducted and is facing grave danger. The U.S. Department of Justice recommends the following criteria for issuing an AMBER Alert: 1) There is reasonable belief by law enforcement an abduction has occurred; 2) The abduction is of a child age 17 years or younger; 3) The law-enforcement agency believes the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death; 4) There is enough descriptive information about the victim and abduction for law enforcement to issue an AMBER Alert to assist in the recovery of the child.
