An Indiana couple was charged with murder just days after being arrested in connection with the death of their 6-year-old son.
Franklin Elmore Jr., 29, and Cheyenne Elmore, 27, were arrested on August 8 after taking their 6-year-old son to the hospital days before. According to a Facebook post from the Elkhart County Prosecutor’s Office, Franklin Elmore, the boy’s father, told hospital staff that his son “hit himself” before becoming unresponsive. Hospital staff told police that the boy had injuries that were too severe for him to inflict on himself, including a “traumatic brain injury and a punctured lung.” The boy later died in the hospital.
The prosecutor stated that further investigation revealed that the boy’s stepmother, Cheyenne Elmore, had “complained” about the boy’s behavior to her husband.
The couple told prosecutors that on the night of August 3, Franklin and Cheyenne Elmore were in their home’s “playroom” with the boy when Franklin Elmore “attacked” him. According to court documents obtained by local NBC affiliate WNDU, the couple called 911 when the boy became unresponsive and informed medical personnel that the boy would hit himself in the head as a symptom of his behavioral issues.
WNDU reported that ER medical staff and a trauma surgeon at Elkhart General Hospital spoke with investigators and stated that they did not believe the boy’s injuries were self-inflicted. Police searched the Elmores’ phones, allegedly discovering several photos of the boy with visible bruises and other injuries.
Both Elmores allegedly told police that they disciplined the boy by making him exert himself through physical activity. They also claimed that they would “whoop” him with a belt or their hands. Neighbors who spoke with police said they saw the boy doing the exercises in the family’s yard.
According to WNDU, the boy’s biological mother, who lives in Alabama, expressed concern about her son’s welfare and contacted Indiana’s Department of Child Services. However, authorities reportedly told her that “they could do nothing because they didn’t find any bruises.” The boy’s mother also reported comments her son made to her about “going to bed hungry at night when he gets into trouble.”
The mother filed formal reports with the department, which stated that there was nothing to investigate. In a statement to WNDU, the department stated, “DCS has reviewed its records in order to determine if there are non-confidential and responsive records and if the agency is statutorily authorized to release those records.” The department said, “We do not have statutory authority to release any records related to [the boy], due to an ongoing police investigation or criminal prosecution.”
Franklin and Cheyenne Elmore have been charged with murder and are being held in custody without bail. Both are scheduled to appear in court again on August 14.
