Missing Indiana mother found dead in her car; son found alive
Updated: 5:01 PM EDT Apr 20, 2022
This by family who came to us on the afternoon of April 18. The silver alert was issued later on that afternoon after the family had came in, talked with our investigators specifically. Detective martin Ski who handles are missing persons cases. But I think if I didn’t, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention not just our missing persons uh detective involved in this, but our violent crimes unit as well. Uh I think it’s noteworthy to mention this has been *** horrendous week span for us. Um this is taking *** toll, physical and psychological toll on our officers and our detectives. I know people will say that’s what we’re paid to do and it’s our job, but we’re human beings and we experience and live the rest of our days with the images that we can never get out of our heads. And I would ask our community to please keep that in mind whenever you see any officer and especially in the circumstances like this. So we were contacted by family who came to our police department the afternoon of the 18th and we kicked our gears into action afterwards. I sp issued uh silver alert. United State Police, they’re the ones who issue silver and amber alerts and they have specific criteria that they, that they need in order to issue either one of those. So as it was put out, like, like I said, the missing person missing persons silver alert after being contacted by the family. Subsequently last night we responded to the area of *** suspicious vehicle. We checked it out and we did find Alexis vehicle, we found Alexis deceased. Um The baby was taken to memorial hospital. Baby messiah right now is still at the hospital with family and that’s that’s all I will say about baby messiah right now or any any further um in depth conversation regarding the homicide investigation itself again. This was you know late late last night and and now obviously into today um some of the things that come up, I just want to clarify, I know that and and please let’s not always rely on scanner traffic. Um this is the 400 block of South Bendix uh in an alley behind the house actually in the driveway behind the house. Um So I know it was put out as Kaley Street first they back up to each other. So there is something there but specifically it was in the 400 block of South bend IQ and it was just after six o’clock P. M. I think it was 604 PM. Um that we were notified responded checked out the suspicious vehicle and and found what an image that will none of us will be able to get out of our our heads our minds forever. Um The autopsy for Alexis is scheduled for friday. That that’s what we were just informed of right before we came in here. Again, baby messiah is at the hospital with family. Uh Head aside so we were finding their side. Um there was *** lot of social media chatter suggesting that ah we have been made aware of this vehicle and things like that prior to yesterday. That is absolutely false, where that information came from, I don’t know. Um But that’s secondary to our immediate worries about investigating this homicide. We will find out where this false information came from and and deal with that accordingly. Um If we if we need to this did not become our investigation officially Until last night at 6:04 PM. So I wanted to be clear on that. That was Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department up into the point of last night even though are like I said before we kicked our our gears into action and began what we what we do again at the request of the family. So with that I think I’ll open it up to questions if anybody has any, we have many here who may be able to answer things that I can’t. Um But I’m pretty confident I’ll give it my best shot. So do we know at this point even though the autopsy has not happened, do we know approximately how long that vehicle had been sitting there and possibly when Alexis had died but the baby was still alive? Yeah we can speculate that but until we have some factual evidence to maybe um justify our suspicions or speculations uh Then we may comment further but right now it’s I will not go into details with the open homicide investigation. You guys have no at all. Maybe the suv was there for uh we’re still interviewing people who may or may not have seen that vehicle there for whatever amount of time. So I don’t want to make *** conclusion based on more than one person that we’re interviewing um to find out further information again, I don’t I don’t know right off hand unless they do and I highly doubt that they do because I just talked to them right before we came in here um to give you anything concrete of when we know what arrived and how long it had been there. No we we cannot say hopefully the autopsy will help determine uh at least give us *** better time frame. And I know you spoke to it but I think *** lot of people are asking how come this silver alert took more than *** week and I understand you you went through and you kind of explain how it works on your side but for those at home who are wondering, Well she went missing on the 12th as when her family says she initially went missing, it didn’t come out until monday *** week after she was missing and then she was found dead *** day later after the silver alert came out. So many are saying well the silver alert came out sooner then possibly she either could be alive or something maybe else it would have been different circumstances but can you can kind of explain how that works and how that really went down okay. And, and, and, and again, that’s, that’s speculation on if or when. Um, but with their specific criteria that’s needed before you can issue *** silver or amber alert, we do not issue those. Elkhart County does not issue those. There’s specific criteria that Indiana State Police has to have in order to issue an amber or *** silver Kayla can definitely speak further on that. She’s very familiar with um further on that, she’s very familiar with how that process works. But they’re, they’re literally, is is um, there’s check boxes and, and questions that need to be answered before. Uh, either alert can be issued. I can’t speak on Elkhart County’s behalf. You’re gonna have to ask them. Um, and in the United State Police of why or if there was *** delay or if it was just part of the actual process. So What was the, what specifically? I know you guys said that this has been *** horrific 72 or so hours for the entire department. But what exactly if you can speak to it makes this scene so horrific. There’s *** baby involved. I mean, that’s, you know, most of us on the Police department have have Children and at one time they were five months old, two or maybe still are or maybe not there yet. So that’s gonna hit close to home personal when you see *** baby, any baby in, in any vehicle that, that is, uh, um, been involved with something of this nature. You can only imagine and imaginations run amok in our minds, just like anybody else’s throw into that when you have *** couple. Uh, as far as I’m concerned, heinous, ridiculous, uncalled for incidents in this entire past week. Um, are same detectives are violent crimes, investigators are out there dealing with these scenes are officers are first to arrive and doing whatever they can and just imagine yourself the feeling of hopelessness when there’s, they know there’s nothing that they can do at that point in time when somebody is deceased or severely injured and you know, doing their best and always feeling like maybe your best isn’t good enough when, when these officers and detectives go out there and give their hearts and souls to these jobs to what they do and then have that feeling of yet, here’s another one. It’s just none of them take them as *** number. I know I give the board to safety and others like numbers or crime updates are part one crimes or homicides are shootings. Um, but this is not *** number. These are actual people, human beings with family and friends And it’s hard, I mean it’s hard for me. I can’t imagine being those detectives, the investigators, the officers, which I used to do as well, but still responding to these and having to contend with again the physical part of it and, and the emotional part of it. How do you do that? That’s rhetorical. But how do you do that? So then can you elaborate on the condition of, Well, I’ll just say right now at the hospital with family and I have *** question regarding Alexis. I know you mentioned the autopsy hasn’t been performed yet friday. Okay. At least tell us what injuries she may have some. No, I won’t. Not. At this point we’ve been interviewing several people. We have several more that we are going to interview, maybe reinterview. Um, but I will tell you that we have an extensive list and, and so far, I think we’ve gotten pretty useful cooperation. Um, and I’ll leave it there, pardon me. You know, I’m gonna, I’m gonna ring this bell yet again. I mean, look, somebody, somebody knows absolutely 100%. Somebody knows. *** matter of fact, I will bet my life that more than one person knows what happened. And every one of these are absolutely devastating and egregious. Not just *** family and friends, but to an entire community and to an entire police department, If anybody has *** little inkling of *** conscience, they need to come forward and tell us exactly what happened. *** couple of things is, do you guys believe that they were both in the car the whole entire time. Again. That just, yeah, again, that would be speculation and I I knew that when our detective martin Ski was involved, um the other members of the police department were informed to be looking for *** specific vehicle? So it wasn’t Yeah, there was no time wasted there. I can tell you once we were contacted by family. Yes. Okay. And and you mentioned you guys have got *** suspicious call. Was that from neighbor? Was that from Yoga? Who made that? Where’d you guys get that call from? Yes. Who are you talking about the call when we responded yesterday? Yes. It came from somebody in the neighborhood. The property that whether where the vehicle was found? Is that is that all? Mhm. It’s in the back of the property. It’s *** vacant property maybe. And Alexis have any kind of contact with anybody in that direction. Again, I mean, we’re still we’re still I mean we’re not even 24 hours into this yet, so um we don’t know, but obviously we’re definitely tracking down um every possible angle that we can. I mean that’s what they do and unfortunately sadly. Grossly. Um they’re really good at. It should not have to happen. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. There’s been *** lot of speculation, but exactly where was the baby found? All we’re gonna say is in in the vehicle at this time then I guess one of my last question is so um I know, you know, you guys said you guys got *** call from someone in the neighborhood. But as far as yeah, the investigation was forward. Is there any particular Leads that you guys are happy that you guys are strong on right now? Or is that still something that you guys are continuing to work on? I know it’s still developing. Its 20, not even 24 hours. Yeah, I mean how strong do you feel moving forward with what I’m going to stop them before they say anything because I know I know they really want to. But let me, let me just say this. I as the Chief of Police and I can tell you everybody sitting up here as well who oversee all the things that are happening in our police department. We have the utmost confidence in our investigators. They do *** phenomenal job despite what I had mentioned before. Still keep plugging away and never give up on any of any of them. So I am, I will tell you, I am confident that we will, we will get resolved. So I know that there have been obviously *** lot of social media rumors really just social media ran rampant with this one. And there were rumors that baby messiah was well taken care of at the time that he was picked up. Can you confirm or deny? I’m not sure all I can tell you is when the officers arrived on scene and they reached in and they found him alive, they immediately scooped him up, cared for him, gave him love and got him to the hospital. Is there anything else that we didn’t ask you as *** whole that you would like to mention? I think it’s important that if people are concerned or afraid to step up and speak out like chief has so kindly asked on every case um that there is an option to submit anonymous tips to crime stoppers. So um really the two avenues that we want to push with people is either contact stopping police department, detective bureau directly or you can submit anonymous tips to michigan *** crime stoppers. Again, those are the two avenues that we want to make sure that people are able to recognize and be comfortable sharing information with Chief. I know you said at 6:04 on April 18 and 21st became your guys investigation when that comes in for you guys immediately put out *** search or how does that work? I guess what was what happened from the moment you know family came and said hey you know our family members and loved one is missing. What happens from from there. So that’s it’s two different two different time frames. So On the 18th of the the afternoon the 18th when family came in and asked for our help, we we became involved from the missing person aspect not *** lot we could do so per se when it comes to um you know like filing *** report things of that nature because it’s already that had already been done. However, we were able to work with Elkhart County Sheriff’s office and look, you can surmise what you want. But later on that afternoon the silver alert was issued. Um, one of the things I think I I really want to reiterate, um because you did mention, um the social media rumors, which are absolutely ridiculous. I don’t care what the circumstances, but especially something like this, you’re you’re you’re talking about *** loved one, *** family member, *** mother, *** daughter, sister, best friend, friend. Um, and then making these comments on social media as if they’re accomplishing anything. It’s making things worse. So when people say, oh, we called the police and they didn’t do anything. That is absolutely not true. I addressed that in the beginning, we called in before and the police didn’t even come out. That is not true. Absolutely not true. Matter of fact, just today, the board of Safety recognize an officer who made *** call, responded in less than 40 seconds applied *** tourniquet tourniquet to somebody and save that victim’s life. So these are the things that we do, unfortunately, sadly and grossly on *** day to day to day basis. Um, but our department alert deserves *** lot more credit than what it gets. And again, I’m I try not to get emotional, but I had to look on the faces, not just of the people who are sitting here, but the ones who are out there either typing away, calling away, driving away to somewhere to find somebody tracking down there, I know they’re going through *** couple of places right now re scouring areas not just from this homicide investigation, but from the other day as well. So, you know, every single one is important to us and more importantly it is important to every one of those investigators who treat everyone as if this were *** family member. Um, but again, how many family members can anybody in this room are out there watching? How many can they take before it’s enough Before it takes *** toll on them. And and people really, really need to understand that what factors of this make it an obvious homicide. It was clear immediately while dealing with processing the scene and seeing Alexis, it was clear that it became *** homicide scene, correct? So that rules out all else like suicide anything correct? Well, I would, I wouldn’t say that rules it out, but what I will say is there there are injuries, we’re going to treat it as *** homicide unless we find out differently. So, well, we’ll leave it like that. It’s going to be treated as *** homicide unless or until we find out other. Now, have you all been able to obtain surveillance, video camera footage, anything like that, wow, that’s part of the investigation. I won’t. Um, but I can tell you there there will be no stone unturned, no matter what high or low no, you have at it and I’m here, we’re here to answer whatever you, whatever you need actually you have any questions. Is there anything else you can share about possibly the manner of death? Whether it be possibly. I know that like you said, we’re still trying to figure out the autopsy which is scheduled for friday, but is there anything regarding possible drug involvement or um drugs or abduction abuse? So I mean to your point there, I know that’s been on social media as well and several different um threads. Uh, we’re looking at every single option if you will. So again, we’re we’re this is *** homicide investigation undoubtedly we will leave it at that until or unless we find something different to tell us different. But no, absolutely not. We are working with Elkhart County just so you know, I mean there’s, there’s *** lot of added resources um and something you know, obviously either happened from there to here or here. Whatever the case may be. So um, this is an all hands on deck from ST joe county all the way to Elkhart County but the baby will survive. God I pray so, but I mean I I just know from this is just my personal, I would say the baby is stable but I’m not *** doctor or whatever else I do know the baby is still at the hospital and family, is there the question that’s popping up on our feet? And it kind of touches on the same note as *** silver alert? People are asking about amber alerts and that falls under *** similar criteria *** little bit about that. *** lot of people are asking why I’m going to toss this to Kayla. I mean she knows it unfortunately and sadly again like the back of her hand. Um So I’ll let her address that. So an amber alert would not have realistically been issued in this particular case because the child was believed to be with its mother. Um And so that would have ruled out an amber were being issued. Um Some of the criteria and I think the most important criteria for *** silver alert to be issued is there has to be concerned for the well being and safety of the person. The silver alert is out for whether that be medical condition, foul play concerns again for that well being and safety. There’s times where requests can be sent to Indiana State Police for *** silver alert to be issued and it be denied. Further information has to be obtained to further develop and provide that concern for well being and safety. So Any questions as to whether or not *** silver alert had been requested prior to the 18th would have to be directed to Indiana State Police. Um but those are the criteria for *** silver. The main criteria for *** silver alert in an investigation such as this, That she was determined. She wasn’t with family, which was the 12th. Mhm. Does investigations start by looking at ATM machine or does that happen after it? There’s *** lot of investigative resources that we use to find missing missing persons, missing family members. Uh the first one starts with the family itself. We we talked to our families uh illicit resources and try and begin to build *** timeline. But as far as what we use, there’s *** lot of resources that we have to uh at the South Bend Police Department that we use here. So when was this time? This time? And started earlier? Then the family family came to us on monday. Um the initial report was filed with the Elk are sheriff’s department on the 13th by the family. The family does not live in ST joe County or South and they live in Oakland County. You know that if they had started any kind of, they had begun their investigation. But any resources that they use, you’ll have to ask them, isn’t it initially part of the investigation to determine what time this woman had died. We would need an autopsy report to be able to comment on the time of death. So until we have that information, answer any questions about how long she was there or anything like that. Thank you. You got your opportunity time, mm hmm. I said what I said. Mhm. Mhm. Thank you all appreciate it.
Missing Indiana mother found dead in her car; son found alive
Updated: 5:01 PM EDT Apr 20, 2022
A missing Indiana woman was found dead and her baby was found alive in a car, nearly a week after they were first reported missing.South Bend Police said officers were called to the 400 block of South Kaley to investigate the sighting of a car connected to the Silver Alert issued for missing 27-year-old Alexis Morales and her 5-month-old son Messiah.Police found Morales and her son inside the vehicle. Morales was pronounced dead at the scene.Her 5-month-old son Messiah was not injured but was transported to the hospital for observation, police said. The South Bend Police Department is working with the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office to investigate the circumstances surrounding Morales’ death and her prior disappearance.Morales and her son were reported missing last week. The two were last seen leaving Kelly Park on Howard Street in South Bend, Indiana.Police said Morales told her friends she was going back to her home in New Paris, Indiana.Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the South Bend Police Department Detective Bureau at 574-235-9263 or Michiana Crime Stoppers at 574-288-STOP.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. —
A missing Indiana woman was found dead and her baby was found alive in a car, nearly a week after they were first reported missing.
South Bend Police said officers were called to the 400 block of South Kaley to investigate the sighting of a car connected to the Silver Alert issued for missing 27-year-old Alexis Morales and her 5-month-old son Messiah.
Police found Morales and her son inside the vehicle. Morales was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her 5-month-old son Messiah was not injured but was transported to the hospital for observation, police said.
The South Bend Police Department is working with the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office to investigate the circumstances surrounding Morales’ death and her prior disappearance.
Morales and her son were reported missing last week. The two were last seen leaving Kelly Park on Howard Street in South Bend, Indiana.
Police said Morales told her friends she was going back to her home in New Paris, Indiana.
