GUILTY IN - Skylea Carmack, 10, Gas City, Grant County, 31 Aug 2019 *stepmom arrested* *appeal filed 2022*

[GuyfromCanada]

No sign of missing Gas City 10-year-old after 3rd day of searching
Skylea’s father, Kevin Carmack told us he thinks Skylea ran away ‪Saturday around 4 in the afternoon. He was at work and Skylea was at home with her stepmom and six other children in the house. But Kevin said Skylea’s stepmom waited until that night to report her missing. He said – because of that delay – the Department of Child Services took the other six children from the home to investigate.

We asked DCS about that investigation but a representative said DCS cannot legally comment.

“She’s just so little and so innocent, it’s not fair. Why would you let her leave? That’s what doesn’t make sense to me,” said Brandenburg.

Brenda Helmuth is Kevin’s mother and Skylea’s grandma. She said Skylea’s stepmom texted her about ‪9:30 p.m. Saturday to ask if she had seen Skylea.

So Skylea was not reported missing until at least 9:30 PM, 5 and a half hours after she went missing.

 

[MJPeony]

Where are better/more photos of this poor child? No family video snippets or any other photos? It’s easy to judge, and I’m trying not to, but I honestly don’t understand why more photos or videos haven’t been put out there. I don’t think it’s nefarious, because the dad and mom are really out there looking. I just think it’s extraordinarily weird.

I mean, the father says she now has blond hair.... that’s kind of important to see a better likeness I’d think.

MOO.

 

[SAMS]

No sign of missing Gas City 10-year-old after 3rd day of searching
Skylea’s father, Kevin Carmack told us he thinks Skylea ran away ‪Saturday around 4 in the afternoon. He was at work and Skylea was at home with her stepmom and six other children in the house. But Kevin said Skylea’s stepmom waited until that night to report her missing. He said – because of that delay – the Department of Child Services took the other six children from the home to investigate.

We asked DCS about that investigation but a representative said DCS cannot legally comment.

“She’s just so little and so innocent, it’s not fair. Why would you let her leave? That’s what doesn’t make sense to me,” said Brandenburg.

Brenda Helmuth is Kevin’s mother and Skylea’s grandma. She said Skylea’s stepmom texted her about ‪9:30 p.m. Saturday to ask if she had seen Skylea.

7 kids. Skylea leaves around 4 and she reports her missing that night? Texted grandma late to see if she’s there? I smell foul and this is where I sit on my hands. MOO

 

[Tillicum]

7 kids. Skylea leaves around 4 and she reports her missing that night? Texted grandma late to see if she’s there? I smell foul and this is where I sit on my hands. MOO

She was last seen at 4 but do we know when stepmom and siblings realized she was missing? With that many people there it could've been a few hours before they noticed she wasn't there, especially if she had gone to her room and shut the door @ 4pm.

 

[SAMS]

She was last seen at 4 but do we know when stepmom and siblings realized she was missing? With that many people there it could've been a few hours before they noticed she wasn't there, especially if she had gone to her room and shut the door @ 4pm.

“Skylea’s father, Kevin Carmack told us he thinks Skylea ran away ‪Saturday around 4 in the afternoon. He was at work and Skylea was at home with her stepmom and six other children in the house. But Kevin said Skylea’s stepmom waited until that night to report her missing. He said – because of that delay – the Department of Child Services took the other six children from the home to investigate.”

This makes it seem like she knew but didn’t report til late. Need clarification.

BBM MOO EBM

 

[SAMS]

This comment by the BM is enlightening too....

“She’s just so little and so innocent, it’s not fair. Why would you let her leave? That’s what doesn’t make sense to me,” said Brandenburg.”

No sign of missing Gas City 10-year-old after 3rd day of searching

 

[Rosiebones]

WMTV Channel 27, Marion
Do we know what the age range is for the 6 siblings left at home? Are any of them teenagers?
The time from her last contact at 4 o'clock until the check with the grandmother at 9:30 makes me think that no one cared that she was gone for 5 and 1/2 hours before calling police.
It also sounds like the young man in the video who introduces himself as her brother Levi has a sincere interest in her.

 

[squareandrabbet]

I've seen here that her mom states she's not autistic.
What's up with the blanket, then?
Is she or is she not autistic?
If she is, that's important information.
If she's not, why is it being emphasized that she was carrying an "autism awareness" blanket?
Flag.

Maybe another one of the 6 siblings is autistic. Maybe it's a good blanket to cocoon with (sensory friendly, and the like).

I would still like to know why she was determined to be particularly endangered, though. Is it an automatic designation for a 10-year-old runaway, maybe?

 

[SAMS]

WMTV Channel 27, Marion
Do we know what the age range is for the 6 siblings left at home? Are any of them teenagers?
The time from her last contact at 4 o'clock until the check with the grandmother at 9:30 makes me think that no one cared that she was gone for 5 and 1/2 hours before calling police.
It also sounds like the young man in the video who introduces himself as her brother Levi has a sincere interest in her.

Is there another way to access the video? I’m not on FB. Ty! MOO

 

[MJPeony]

WMTV Channel 27, Marion
Do we know what the age range is for the 6 siblings left at home? Are any of them teenagers?
The time from her last contact at 4 o'clock until the check with the grandmother at 9:30 makes me think that no one cared that she was gone for 5 and 1/2 hours before calling police.
It also sounds like the young man in the video who introduces himself as her brother Levi has a sincere interest in her.

She at least has one brother who looks to be teens. I believe he is interviewed in the first video on the WMTV Facebook page. He talks about how if someone finds her and she doesn’t respond, to tell her that her big brother is looking for her, and that if she knows her big brother is looking for her she’ll come out.

 

[Kittybunny]

Apparently the stepmom was detained, questioned, and released.

WMTV Channel 27, Marion

That's where I'd put my focus too.

 

[MassGuy]

That's where I'd put my focus too.

Yeah, if they believe she did run away, ok.

But if they don’t, then their focus should be on the last person who was in charge of her.

Her dad was apparently at work, so that leaves the stepmom.

 

[Tillicum]

Is there another way to access the video? I’m not on FB. Ty! MOO

I haven't been able to find it anywhere else.

 

[LietKynes]

“Skylea’s father, Kevin Carmack told us he thinks Skylea ran away ‪Saturday around 4 in the afternoon. He was at work and Skylea was at home with her stepmom and six other children in the house. But Kevin said Skylea’s stepmom waited until that night to report her missing. He said – because of that delay – the Department of Child Services took the other six children from the home to investigate.”

This makes it seem like she knew but didn’t report til late. Need clarification.

BBM MOO EBM

Lavender bolding mine

Well-- are the kids now returned to the stepmother ?
Was the teen brother taken into foster care as well ?

Might be too soon to wonder-- but was stepmom somewhat overwhelmed with 7 children and didn't always keep a close eye on all of them ?

 

[LietKynes]

She at least has one brother who looks to be teens. I believe he is interviewed in the first video on the WMTV Facebook page. He talks about how if someone finds her and she doesn’t respond, to tell her that her big brother is looking for her, and that if she knows her big brother is looking for her she’ll come out.

That is interesting and somewhat sad.
Who found Skylea before when she ran away ?
Or did she come back from the grandmothers house on her own ?

 

[155etta]

10-Year-Old Indiana Girl Vanished 3 Days Ago; 'Optimistic' Police Seek Public's Help to Find Her

“We are hoping she ran away and is somewhere we haven’t searched yet, but again the longer we go on, that is unlikely the scenario,” Indiana State Police Sgt. Tony Slocum tells PEOPLE. “We are asking for the public’s help.”

Slocum says the girl, who is home schooled, didn’t have a cell phone and possibly left carrying a pink backpack, a purple autism awareness blanket and a pillow.

She has run away before, he says, but “we checked the locations she had gone to previously but so far we haven’t found her.”

“We are still remaining optimistic until something changes,” he says. “All the scenarios are on the table and we are remaining optimistic until we have evidence to believe otherwise.”

Police have reviewed some video footage from area homes and so far she hasn’t been captured on any of the surveillance tapes.

That last line has me worried.

 

[Knox]

Stacey Brandenburg said she doesn’t think her daughter is in Gas City anymore. She hopes police and others move the search elsewhere.

“I made it to Louisiana at 12 years old by myself, so if I can do that, she can make it anywhere,” said Brandenburg.
No sign of missing Gas City 10-year-old after 3rd day of searching

It's like I said, the adults in this little girls life are $57#@!!

So Dad is at work Saturday, step-mom, Skylea and six other kids are at home. Reportedly Skylea is in trouble and that's the reason they think she ran away.

Normally goes to Grandma's house, but not this time. Reportedly last seen in the home by step-mom around 4 PM. But wasn't reported missing until 10:00 PM? Wonder what time Dad got off that day?

 

[MJPeony]

That is interesting and somewhat sad.
Who found Skylea before when she ran away ?
Or did she come back from the grandmothers house on her own ?

Yes I thought it was so touching and also sad what the brother said He really seemed concerned, and despite what the optics of their general family dynamics may seem, he seemed to be shouldering quite a bit of responsibly to find her.

Good questions re: how she came back previous times after running away.

MOO.

 

[kay74]

Stepmother doesn't report her missing for 6 hours and at 10 pm at night no less. This is shameful. Her bio mother should be taking CARE of her. DUH

 

[155etta]

No sign of missing Gas City 10-year-old after 3rd day of searching
Skylea’s father, Kevin Carmack told us he thinks Skylea ran away ‪Saturday around 4 in the afternoon. He was at work and Skylea was at home with her stepmom and six other children in the house. But Kevin said Skylea’s stepmom waited until that night to report her missing. He said – because of that delay – the Department of Child Services took the other six children from the home to investigate.

We asked DCS about that investigation but a representative said DCS cannot legally comment.

“She’s just so little and so innocent, it’s not fair. Why would you let her leave? That’s what doesn’t make sense to me,” said Brandenburg.

Brenda Helmuth is Kevin’s mother and Skylea’s grandma. She said Skylea’s stepmom texted her about ‪9:30 p.m. Saturday to ask if she had seen Skylea.

So the dad was at work at 4:00 PM when she was last seen and still at work at 9:30 PM when the stepmom called grandma to see if she was there? Where does this guy work? Also, did she take clothing or just bedding?