INDIANAPOLIS — Five-year-old Zara Arnold, described as a child with a "beautiful smile, full of fun and laughter," was found dead in a home on Indianapolis' near east side. Authorities report that Zara suffered brutal injuries.
Zara's father, 41-year-old Zachary Arnold, has been charged with murder in connection with her death. Family members and community leaders expressed outrage over the situation, emphasizing the failures of multiple systems that should have protected her.
“The people that failed her — DCS — the judge — they have their day coming,” said Margaret Downy, the victim’s great-grandmother.
Court records reveal prior allegations of abuse involving Zara and her father dating back to 2020. Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police President Rick Snyder criticized the Department of Child Services for its handling of the case.
“I think that the Department of Child Services has a lot of questions to answer,” he said.
Snyder is calling on local, state, and federal leaders to implement changes to the justice system to prevent future tragedies. He emphasized the need for an impartial review of the case's history, appointed by Indiana’s Governor to identify gaps in the system.
“You tell me and judge, you tell me any prosecutor, you tell me any elected official, that if that happened to them or their loved one, they would shrug that off,” Snyder said.
Snyder, along with Zara’s family, is advocating for significant reforms within the justice and child welfare systems to ensure that future lives can be saved.
"We need to listen to everyone telling you that abuse that's going on. Don't just sweep it under the rug," Downy urged.
30-year-old Andrea Lopez-Figueroa, identified as Arnold's ex-girlfriend, faces charges of assisting a criminal as well as a misdemeanor charge for failure to report a crime.
