HOWARD COUNTY — An 18-year-old father has been arrested in connection with the death of his infant son in Howard County.
On Sunday, September 28, at approximately 1:47 p.m., Howard County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 7000 block of East 50 North, Greentown, on the report of an unresponsive infant.
Deputies arrived to find the infant already being treated by emergency medical personnel. The child was subsequently transported to Community Howard Regional Hospital. Despite life-saving efforts, the child, identified as Lucas Bieghler, was pronounced deceased by attending medical staff. The infant was later determined to be less than one month old.
Deputies secured the residence, and detectives conducted interviews, collected evidence, and coordinated with the coroner and Department of Child Services. They also obtained a search warrant for the residence.
During the investigation, detectives conducted interviews with multiple witnesses and family members. Based on the evidence collected, the accounts provided were determined to be inconsistent with the injuries observed on the infant.
As a result, deputies arrested the child's father on the preliminary charge of Aggravated Battery Resulting in Death, a Level 1 Felony. The 18-year-old was transported to the Howard County Jail, where he remains in custody with no bond.
The case remains active and under investigation by Detective Ernie Shirey. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact him directly at 765-614-3449, or by submitting a tip through the Sheriff's Office mobile app or at www.sheriff.howardcountyin.gov.
An autopsy will be performed under the direction of the Howard County Coroner on Tuesday.
