Aug. 20—PLYMOUTH — The criminal case against a Hamlet man, accused of being responsible for a Plymouth baby's death, was still pending Friday, while the girl's parents made their first appearances in court for their role in her death.
Justin Miller, 37, will face a Level 1 felony charge of neglect of a dependent resulting in death stemming from the loss of 11-month-old Mercedes Lain's life, Marshall County Prosecutor Nelson Chipman said Thursday. By the end of Friday, the case had not yet appeared on Indiana's online court record system, www.MyCase.IN.gov.
Staff at Marshall County Superior Court 1, where such a case would likely be decided, said a charge hadn't been filed there yet earlier on Friday.
Miller was arrested Monday, approximately a day after he and Mercedes were reported as missing, which prompted a statewide Silver Alert and a multi-agency search for both. Police had located Miller without the girl, and the search continued for two more days.
According to allegations in the probable cause affidavit in the case, Miller had offered to babysit Mercedes last week and give her parents, Kenneth Lain and Tiffany Coburn, a break over the weekend. When Miller didn't return with Mercedes on Sunday as planned and had allegedly stayed largely out of contact, the couple called 9-1-1.
After giving investigators conflicting stories about his whereabouts, Miller on Wednesday allegedly admitted Mercedes had died while they were at a home in Mishawaka last Saturday. He also allegedly admitted he had disposed of the girl's body in a remote forested area in Starke County.
Miller led police to the site Wednesday night, and Mercedes' remains were recovered.
Mourners have since created a growing memorial to the girl near the site at the t-intersection of C.R. 1025 East and C.R. 50 North, west of Plymouth.
The Marshall County Coroner's Office said Friday an autopsy on the girl's body had been completed. Further details were not provided, except for an indication the prosecutor's office would provide updated details next week.
Lain and Coburn were taken into custody during the search for Mercedes, and then each charged with Level 6 felony counts of neglect of a dependent in cases filed Thursday.
The two appeared in Marshall County Superior Court 3 on Friday for initial hearings in their case.
Court staff said public defenders were assigned to represent the couple. Court dates were also scheduled, including a status hearing set for Nov. 18.
Aimee Ambrose can be reached at aimee.ambrose@goshennews.com or 574-533-2151, ext. 240316. Follow her on Twitter at @aambrose_TGN.
Case apparently pending against suspect in baby's death - Yahoo News
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