Kokomo police are digging into a disturbing report out of the ALDI on South Reed Road, where witnesses say a man put both hands on a one-year-old girl and tried to lift her out of a shopping cart on Sunday. The child was not hurt and stayed with her family, according to authorities, but officers have opened a battery investigation and are asking the public to help figure out who the man is.
In a Facebook post, the Kokomo Police Department said officers were sent to ALDI at 1381 S. Reed Road on Sunday after witnesses reported an unknown male placing both hands on the child and attempting to lift her from the cart. The man was described as Hispanic, wearing a green jacket and a hat. According to the post, he briefly walked into the store, stopped to use sanitizer wipes near the entrance, then headed out of the area to the west. Investigators are asking anyone with information to call (765) 456-7017, submit an anonymous tip through the "Kokomo PD" mobile app, or text "tipkpd <space> your tip" to 847411.
Witnesses and what they told police
"All defendants are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law," the Kokomo Police Department noted in its post. At the same time, officers said witnesses reported that the man might be a regular shopper who lives in the neighborhood. Police say the child was not injured during the encounter and stayed in the care of family members. Detectives are now reviewing store surveillance video and chasing down leads.
How Indiana law treats contact with a child
Under Indiana law, touching another person in a rude or angry way can qualify as battery, and penalties increase when the alleged victim is a child, according to the state criminal code. The statute allows more serious charges when the offense results in bodily injury to someone under 14 or when other aggravating factors are present, per Justia.
How to report tips
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kokomo Police Department at (765) 456-7017 or send an anonymous tip through the department’s mobile app. Tipsters can also call Central Indiana Crime Stoppers at 1-800-262-TIPS. Local reporting has repeatedly shared the Kokomo PD tip line and the Crime Stoppers number as key contacts for anonymous information, and WRTV has listed those hotlines in previous Kokomo coverage.
The investigation remains active, and Kokomo police say they are continuing to follow up on leads. Anyone who thinks they witnessed the incident or recognizes the man from the description is urged to speak up so detectives can piece together exactly what happened inside that ALDI.
