Police say a welfare check at a Muncie apartment led to two preliminary child-neglect counts against 36-year-old Jessica Forehand. Fox 59 reported that young children were found in the home, where trash, rotten food and dog waste had accumulated, reaching ankle height in some areas. Forehand was taken into custody without incident Tuesday and is being held at the Delaware County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
WKRC reported that a neighbor requested the check after not seeing the apartment’s residents for some time. A FOX59 post also reported flies on the apartment’s interior windows and used feminine hygiene products in the trash cans.
According to Fox 59, Forehand told officers that she and her family were suffering from food poisoning and allowed them to search the home. Police say they found young children inside and arrested Forehand on preliminary felony neglect charges.
A Separate Muncie Case in June
A separate Muncie case reported in June involved inspectors entering a home in protective equipment after reports of spoiled food, pests and human waste, according to Hoodline.
What Happened in the Earlier Case
Fox 59 reported that on June 10, 2026, Delaware County sheriff’s deputies arrested Muncie residents Daniel Haisley and Brittany Troup after a fight between the parents led deputies to a home where two children were living in deplorable conditions. That was a separate incident from Forehand’s case, which began with a neighbor’s request for a welfare check at an apartment; the June report documents the arrests of Haisley and Troup.
Indiana law makes every adult a mandated reporter, requiring anyone who suspects child abuse or neglect to immediately notify the Department of Child Services or local law enforcement. Under Indiana Code § 31-33-5, knowingly failing to report is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor. The neighbor called after not seeing the people living in the apartment for some time.
What the Charges Could Mean
Baseline neglect of a dependent in Indiana is classified as a Level 6 felony under Indiana Code § 35-46-1-4. Official charges have not yet been filed against Forehand, and the preliminary counts represent unproven allegations at this stage.
It remains unclear what has become of the children found in Forehand's apartment or whether the Department of Child Services had any prior contact with the household. Those questions, along with whether the preliminary Level 6 felony charges will hold once formal charges are filed, are likely to be answered as the case moves through the Delaware County court system.
