GREENFIELD, Ind. — Two Greenfield parents have been charged with neglect after their baby was found "pale, thin and malnourished," police said.
Nealy Knight, 22, and Brison Phipps, 18, were both formally charged with two counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury, according to online court records.
The Greenfield Police Department said that on Oct. 10, 2024, officers responded to a home on an unrelated call "to locate a person connected to an ongoing investigation." At the house, those officers saw an adult holding a baby "who appeared pale, thin and malnourished."
Paramedics were called to the scene and determined the baby needed to be taken immediately to a local hospital, and the baby's parents consented, police said.
The Indiana Department of Child Services was also contacted to meet with detectives at the hospital.
After an investigation, Greenfield police arrested Knight and Phipps on Oct. 31.
According to court documents, the child was taken to Peyton Manning Children's Hospital for five days after the couple's primary care physician told them the child was dehydrated. While at the hospital, nurses saw the child was not only dehydrated, but also underweight. Knight and Phipps were reportedly given training on how to properly feed their child, but struggled to do so, according to court documents.
Court documents say that the couple initially could not follow nurses' instructions to feed the child on a consistent schedule or to give the child the proper amount of formula. However, by the end of the five days, the couple was reportedly feeding the child consistently and correctly, allowing them to be discharged from the hospital.
However, court documents go on to say the couple reportedly told police and nurses at Hancock Regional Health, the hospital where the child was taken prior to Knight and Phipps' arrest, that they did not keep the child on a regular feeding schedule.
Phipps allegedly told police he would give the child a different amount of formula each feeding, but would also frequently miss feedings. Phipps told police he is unemployed due to his autism, ADHD and bipolar diagnosis and can get angry easily. When asked what he does during the day, Phipps allegedly told police that he watches television and plays video games.
Knight told police that she works the morning shift at a nearby hotel and that Phipps takes care of the child when she is at work.
When asked if he was concerned with how small the child was, Phipps allegedly told police "he has a high metabolism."
Court documents describe the house where the child was staying prior to Phipps and Knight's arrests in a dim light. Dirty bottles with what appeared to be mold were found on a dresser and bugs crawling on the walls.
"These serious charges reflect the gravity of the situation and the need to protect vulnerable individuals," a department spokesperson said in a statement.
Police said the baby has since been released from the hospital and "is doing well with a foster family."
Online court records indicate initial court hearings for Knight and Phipps are scheduled for 11 a.m. Nov. 1.
Child abuse and neglect resources
If you think a child is being abused or neglected, call the DCS Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-800-5556.
If you can, provide DCS with the following information:
Who was involved
What occurred
When and where it occurred
The extent of any injuries sustained
Any other relevant information
Even if you don't know all that information, DCS urges you to call and report if you suspect a child is a victim of abuse or neglect. State law requires DCS to protect the identity of those reporting abuse or neglect allegations, so you can remain anonymous.
There is more information available at the Indiana Department of Child Services website.
If you would like to help victims of child abuse and neglect, Kids' Voice of Indiana has a Court-Appointed Special Advocate program. This lets volunteers advocate for child victims who don't have another trusted adult to stand up for them. You can learn more about the CASA program here. Kids' Voice estimates more than 3,100 kids in Marion County need help from a CASA volunteer.
