An Indianapolis mother and her boyfriend are facing child-neglect charges after a 4-year-old boy with extensive medical needs was found unresponsive and later died at Riley Hospital for Children. Court filings and interviews allege the child, identified as Malichi Lovely, had been made to sleep on the floor of a basement closet beneath a staircase at a relative’s home. Born premature, Malichi required tube feedings and had hip dysplasia, cerebral palsy and epilepsy. He could not walk and reportedly weighed about 22 pounds at the time of his death.
According to WKRC Local12, police arrested 37-year-old Angel Lovely and 36-year-old Nicholas Bergdoll after Malichi was discovered unresponsive and transported to the hospital. Court records cited by the station say the family had been staying since October in Bergdoll’s sister’s house, where Malichi was allegedly put to sleep in the closet beneath the stairs. The station reports that the arrests followed an investigation that pulled together medical records, interviews and court files.
Coverage by WXIN details court documents and includes interviews with neighbors who say they had been sounding the alarm to the Department of Child Services for nearly two years. A sibling told investigators the mother “does not take care of the victim anymore and keeps him in the closet,” the station reported, and a neighbor, frustrated and shaken, said “the system is broken.” Malichi’s father, Bear Schmidt, told the station he was “still a bit in shock” after learning what had happened to his son.
What investigators found
Investigators described the house as dirty and poorly maintained and said they found marijuana and THC gummies during the search. According to court paperwork cited by WKRC Local12, Bergdoll told investigators he disagreed with how Lovely treated her son but felt it was not his place to intervene. That detail, now preserved in the case file, is likely to draw close scrutiny as prosecutors decide how to proceed.
Legal next steps
Lovely and Bergdoll face child-neglect allegations and are expected to appear in court next week, according to local coverage. Under Indiana law, neglect of a dependent is prosecuted under the state’s neglect statute and is typically charged as a felony. Case law and statutory language show prosecutors can seek harsher counts in aggravated situations that involve serious injury or death. See Justia for examples of how neglect-of-a-dependent cases have been charged in Indiana courts.
Indianapolis police say the investigation is still active, and IMPD officer Tommy Thompson told WXIN that people who are struggling should reach out for help. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact local detectives as they continue reviewing medical records and statements. Prosecutors will decide whether to file additional charges once investigators complete their review.
The case has left neighbors and relatives stunned and has reignited long-running questions about how and when outside agencies step in. If you suspect a child is being harmed, the Indiana Department of Child Services operates a 24/7 Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline that provides instructions on how to make a report.
