IN - Mother Chantell Gardner, 33 charged w neglect & abuse of daughter Skylar Gardner, 2 Indianapolis 25 January 2025

[tlcya]

During the investigation, authorities found several bruises and injuries on Skylar, including on her face, arms, legs, back and genitals; she also had a puncture wound on her neck, according to medical personnel, WISH TV, WRTV and FOX 59 reported.
Mom Allegedly Neglected Kids, Spent Days at Boyfriend's. Then She Found 2-Year-Old Dead Beneath Dresser: Police

Police performed a protective sweep of the apartment while on scene, and “observed trash scattered, human feces, steak knives and soiled items on the floor to the point it was not visible.” According to court documents, there was also a “strong” smell of “rotting food” throughout, and feces covered the wall and furniture.”
[snip]
She told investigators she would leave her children at home alone for several hours everyday, but would “check on them once a day to bring them food and a drink.” She added that she would find feces on her children’s hands and feet, and that she last bathed one of the children a “week-and-a-half ago, if not two weeks ago.”
Mom arrested after 2-year-old found dead, covered in bruises in northeast side apartment

“With neglect of a dependent, you don’t have to show she intentionally tried to harm them. She just put them in a situation that risked their lives,” said Massillamany.

If charged and convicted of a Level 1 felony, Gardner faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
https://cbs4indy.com/news/police-fi...is-woman-arrested-for-neglect-of-a-dependent/

Shades of Gloria Williams This mother left her 2 and 4 year old home alone for extended periods and would stay at her boyfriend's place. These poor babies. RIP Skylar, I hope your brother gets a shot at a family and home with love and care. I hope your mother never gets her hands back on him so that you won't have died in vain sweet child.

 

[less0305]

https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/court-docs-indianapolis-apartment-where-children-were-found-was-biohazard-mother-charged-with-murder-in-girls-death/

Horrendous! This is absolutely horrendous!

 

[CHEL]

This is awful.

 

[Gemmie]

https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/court-docs-indianapolis-apartment-where-children-were-found-was-biohazard-mother-charged-with-murder-in-girls-death/

Horrendous! This is absolutely horrendous!

From your linked MSM:

The affidavit claims Gardner said, “she tried cleaning the walls and maintaining things, but it became too overwhelming. She eventually ‘strayed’ away from the home altogether due to the smell inside the house.”

So... the mother couldn't stand the smell so she just left her young children there alone so she wouldn't have to deal with it? What a *BEEP*.

 

[Gemmie]

Here's the cutie patootie Skylar. Obviously during happier times.

RIP dear Skylar. I'm sorry you were born to such an awful and undeserving person.

https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/court-docs-indianapolis-apartment-where-children-were-found-was-biohazard-mother-charged-with-murder-in-girls-death/

 

[Gemmie]

And something just doesn't seem to be ringing true here. I'm not a mother so don't have experience with diapers. However, even since that's the case I find it hard to believe there wasn't sexual abuse going on. To all you with diaper changing experience out there... does this sound even remotely possible? I'm calling BS on no abuse in regards to bruising all over her body. That child didn't bruise herself IMO.

During the investigation, authorities found several bruises and injuries on Skylar, including on her face, arms, legs, back and genitals; she also had a puncture wound on her neck, according to medical personnel, WISH TV, WRTV and FOX 59 reported.

Chantell reportedly denied accusations of sexual or physical abuse of the children, allegedly claiming her daughter’s vaginal bruising was a result of her diapers not being changed enough, per police.

Mom Allegedly Neglected Kids, Spent Days at Boyfriend's. Then She Found 2-Year-Old Dead Beneath Dresser: Police

Skylar Gardner was found dead by her mother over the weekend

people.com

 

[tlcya]

IME with diapers, a rash, sometimes severe to the point where skin is raw, could occur with too infrequent of diaper changes. Bruising? Not likely. JMO JME

 

[tlcya]

Preliminarily, doctors believe Skylar Gardner died from hypothermia, but her body was also covered in bruises and bite marks, with a puncture wound on her neck and frostbite on her feet and hands.

Doctors believe the puncture wound occurred postmortem, likely from a rodent.

“It’s so sad on so many levels,” said attorney John Tompkins.
https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/co...rd-mother-charged-with-murder-in-girls-death/

It's okay your honor, I never abused my toddlers, I simply left them alone for days and nights on end, but I never meant to physically harm them. I only meant to neglect them to death. Nobody abused my dead daughter, I just didn't change her often enough. GMAB She knew what she was doing was wrong, she avoided taking the babies out of the apartment because she was worried people would notice the neglect. She was too "overwhelmed" to clean the poo smeared walls so she just dipped. She knew the heat didn't work but didn't call for repair because someone might see the state of the apartment and her children. Toss the key. selfish [unusual person]

 

[tlcya]

Mom of toddler found decomposing under dresser took kids out 'once a week at most': Police

uggh, this article shows photo of the room Skylar died in

 

[Gemmie]

Mom of toddler found decomposing under dresser took kids out 'once a week at most': Police

uggh, this article shows photo of the room Skylar died in

I can't get these 2 things out of my mind. For the former, why would the child be under a bedroom dresser? There apparently were rats in the house and I can only imagine that they could be aggressive. Especially someone as tiny as Skylar was. All I can think of is she was trying to get away from something. I wonder what information her brother might have?

As for the latter... hair and (what appeared to be, so likely were, IMO) feces in her stomach?!?!? The poor child was (likely) STARVING!!! She ate what she found on the floor as mom wasn't going home often enough to provide food on a necessary basis.

I know inmates don't like child murders in jail, but I'm thinking this treatment of her darling child would be enough to put her on their 'hit' list. I don't feel at all bad about that. Bring it on!

Gardner at about 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 25 called 911 and told the dispatcher that she’d found her 2-year-old daughter unresponsive and “cold to the touch” under a bedroom dresser, the affidavit says.

and...

She also had hair and what appeared to be feces in her stomach.

Mom of toddler found decomposing under dresser took kids out 'once a week at most': Police

Chantell Gardner is now facing an upgraded charge of murder after her 2-year-old daughter was found dead in her "biohazard" apartment in Indiana.

lawandcrime.com

 

[tlcya]

yes, I suspect Skylar and her 3 or 4 year old brother were reduced to eating whatever they could find to stave off the hunger pains. Those poor sweet babies. I pray big brother lands somewhere loving and that he never feels another hunger pang again as long as he lives.

 

[sallye818]

I can't even comment on this one it makes me so angry. My tender heart could hardly read the documents. And the pictures made me sick to my stomach. Who could leave 2 babies to fend for themselves? Selfish *&%*(!!

 

[Gemmie]

I know what this feels like first hand. I had my power out for 3 or 4 days during an ice storm and my house got down to the mid-40's inside. I was MISERABLE and I'm an adult! I was able to put on many layers of clothing and a hat, huddle under blankets like it was a tent hoping to keep heat inside it and I was STILL miserable! And.... my extremities (feet and hands) weren't as tender as a young child's would be and I DOUBT Skylar put shoes on! The skin hasn't had time to harden up for lack of a better way of explaining it. She was likely walking around in that filth barefoot.

Authorities said the temperature inside the home ranged from 46 to 51 degrees while is was about 32 degrees outside. That meant it would have likely been even colder in the home during the time the children had been left alone.

Mom of toddler found decomposing under dresser took kids out 'once a week at most': Police

Chantell Gardner is now facing an upgraded charge of murder after her 2-year-old daughter was found dead in her "biohazard" apartment in Indiana.

lawandcrime.com

 

[ILikeToBendPages]

And something just doesn't seem to be ringing true here. I'm not a mother so don't have experience with diapers. However, even since that's the case I find it hard to believe there wasn't sexual abuse going on. To all you with diaper changing experience out there... does this sound even remotely possible? I'm calling BS on no abuse in regards to bruising all over her body. That child didn't bruise herself IMO.

During the investigation, authorities found several bruises and injuries on Skylar, including on her face, arms, legs, back and genitals; she also had a puncture wound on her neck, according to medical personnel, WISH TV, WRTV and FOX 59 reported.

Chantell reportedly denied accusations of sexual or physical abuse of the children, allegedly claiming her daughter’s vaginal bruising was a result of her diapers not being changed enough, per police.

Mom Allegedly Neglected Kids, Spent Days at Boyfriend's. Then She Found 2-Year-Old Dead Beneath Dresser: Police

Skylar Gardner was found dead by her mother over the weekend

people.com

Let me tell you a story Gemmie. We had custody of our grandson ( from 4 months old) and granddaughter (from 2 years old) two years later and when they were little and had visitation with their mother they would come back sick and in dirty clothes that they went in and dirty diapers that had been on them a long time.

Their mother had a new man in her life and disappeared and didn't see the kids for a year and a half and when they did start back, Jon and Brit had a soon to be two year old stepsister that their mom treated worse than dirt.

Mom and her soon to be man ( had a 9 month old half sister by now also.) came to pick up the kids for a weekend visit one Friday evening and the man asked me if I would take a look at his little girl because she had a terrible diaper rash, so I said sure, laid Becca down and pulled down her leggings , while the men tells me that it wasn't anything there that morning when he got her dressed before he had to go to work, but my ex daughter in law told him Becca got a terrible diaper rash when he got home that afternoon, and as he is telling me this my ex daughter in law was telling me "yeah she work up from a nap like that" It's really weird looking ( she is standing over me and I was looking up at her as she closed her hands together and formed a circle with her fingers and described a round "rash" , and I as ( I was sitting down on the ground ) I undid her diaper and she was covered in Desitin. I am talking covered in a thick paste up to all almost to her waist front and back and I fastened the diaper back dressed Becca and told them that if it was me I would take her to the ER because nothing like what was described was normal.
I stood that little girl up and gave her a hug and a kiss and told her that I loved her. She hadn't had much in her life since her "new " mom came in her life when she was three months old. Mom had a 2 and 4 years old that she didn't take care of so I knew what her life would be like.
She wasn't taken to the ER or a doctor and the next month when it was time for the kids to have a weekend visitation Becca was gone.

IMVOO Becca was hit during a diaper change with something round. There wasn't a "rash". Many children are hurt during potty training and "accidents". But no bruising is not normal.

 

[Gemmie]

Wow. A LOT of info in this article. For starters, Chantell's BF was accused of assisting in Skylar's death. Lots of new details including:

"The apartment floors were covered in human feces, garbage, chicken bones, fast food bags, opened BBQ sauce containers, clothing, toys, other debris, knocked-over furniture, and household items. The floors were littered with the above items, and more," detectives wrote.

The affidavit says the floor was cluttered to the point detectives had no choice but to step on the items as they were walking through. Multiple areas of the walls were covered in feces, what appeared to be BBQ sauce, and other unknown substances, including a baby crib and mattress that had feces layered on them.

• Multiple patterned bruising across the entirety of Skylar's body
• Multiple bruising, non-specified, over the entirety of Skylar's body, including her vaginal area and her right eye
• Multiple bite marks on Skylar's back and possibly under her left arm
• Puncture wound on Skylar's neck
• Internal injury to her lower inner lip
• Unknown injuries to Skylar's feet

The coroner noted external injuries of what appeared to be multiple bite marks on Skylar, frostbite on her feet and hands, and round patterned bruising approximately ¾ - 1 inch in diameter.

Court Docs: Mother charged with murder; boyfriend accused of assisting in death of 2-year-old

A mother in Indianapolis neglect charges have escalated to murder following the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Skylar Gardner. Her boyfriend is charged with assisting a criminal.

www.wrtv.com

What in the world would the "round patterned bruising approximately ¾ - 1 inch in diameter" be?

 

[borndem]

yes, I suspect Skylar and her 3 or 4 year old brother were reduced to eating whatever they could find to stave off the hunger pains. Those poor sweet babies. I pray big brother lands somewhere loving and that he never feels another hunger pang again as long as he lives.

bbm - Also hoping that he will have no memory of being in that nasty place.

 

[dalsglen]

And something just doesn't seem to be ringing true here. I'm not a mother so don't have experience with diapers. However, even since that's the case I find it hard to believe there wasn't sexual abuse going on. To all you with diaper changing experience out there... does this sound even remotely possible? I'm calling BS on no abuse in regards to bruising all over her body. That child didn't bruise herself IMO.

During the investigation, authorities found several bruises and injuries on Skylar, including on her face, arms, legs, back and genitals; she also had a puncture wound on her neck, according to medical personnel, WISH TV, WRTV and FOX 59 reported.

Chantell reportedly denied accusations of sexual or physical abuse of the children, allegedly claiming her daughter’s vaginal bruising was a result of her diapers not being changed enough, per police.

Mom Allegedly Neglected Kids, Spent Days at Boyfriend's. Then She Found 2-Year-Old Dead Beneath Dresser: Police

Skylar Gardner was found dead by her mother over the weekend

people.com

I've got 3 daughters, 16,14 and 10. Only one has ever had a bruise there, due to using the front brake on a bike and crashing into the handlebars. Normal my .

 

[borndem]

Wow. A LOT of info in this article. For starters, Chantell's BF was accused of assisting in Skylar's death. Lots of new details including:

"The apartment floors were covered in human feces, garbage, chicken bones, fast food bags, opened BBQ sauce containers, clothing, toys, other debris, knocked-over furniture, and household items. The floors were littered with the above items, and more," detectives wrote.

The affidavit says the floor was cluttered to the point detectives had no choice but to step on the items as they were walking through. Multiple areas of the walls were covered in feces, what appeared to be BBQ sauce, and other unknown substances, including a baby crib and mattress that had feces layered on them.

• Multiple patterned bruising across the entirety of Skylar's body
• Multiple bruising, non-specified, over the entirety of Skylar's body, including her vaginal area and her right eye
• Multiple bite marks on Skylar's back and possibly under her left arm
• Puncture wound on Skylar's neck
• Internal injury to her lower inner lip
• Unknown injuries to Skylar's feet

The coroner noted external injuries of what appeared to be multiple bite marks on Skylar, frostbite on her feet and hands, and round patterned bruising approximately ¾ - 1 inch in diameter.
View attachment 561848

Court Docs: Mother charged with murder; boyfriend accused of assisting in death of 2-year-old

A mother in Indianapolis neglect charges have escalated to murder following the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Skylar Gardner. Her boyfriend is charged with assisting a criminal.

www.wrtv.com

What in the world would the "round patterned bruising approximately ¾ - 1 inch in diameter" be?

Possibly rats...

 

[charminglane]

Wow. A LOT of info in this article. For starters, Chantell's BF was accused of assisting in Skylar's death. Lots of new details including:

"The apartment floors were covered in human feces, garbage, chicken bones, fast food bags, opened BBQ sauce containers, clothing, toys, other debris, knocked-over furniture, and household items. The floors were littered with the above items, and more," detectives wrote.

The affidavit says the floor was cluttered to the point detectives had no choice but to step on the items as they were walking through. Multiple areas of the walls were covered in feces, what appeared to be BBQ sauce, and other unknown substances, including a baby crib and mattress that had feces layered on them.

• Multiple patterned bruising across the entirety of Skylar's body
• Multiple bruising, non-specified, over the entirety of Skylar's body, including her vaginal area and her right eye
• Multiple bite marks on Skylar's back and possibly under her left arm
• Puncture wound on Skylar's neck
• Internal injury to her lower inner lip
• Unknown injuries to Skylar's feet

The coroner noted external injuries of what appeared to be multiple bite marks on Skylar, frostbite on her feet and hands, and round patterned bruising approximately ¾ - 1 inch in diameter.
View attachment 561848

Court Docs: Mother charged with murder; boyfriend accused of assisting in death of 2-year-old

A mother in Indianapolis neglect charges have escalated to murder following the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Skylar Gardner. Her boyfriend is charged with assisting a criminal.

www.wrtv.com

What in the world would the "round patterned bruising approximately ¾ - 1 inch in diameter" be?

Drumstick?

 

[LoveyG]

Possibly the 4 year old brother took his frustration out on his sister. Not blaming him. I'm not a mother myself, but I've known some 4 year old boys who are rather physical with other people. These little ones didn't have anyone there to direct their behavior. Basically raising themselves.