INDIANAPOLIS — The ex-boyfriend of 8-month-old Amiah Robertson's mother accepted a plea agreement in the baby's presumed death.
Robert Lyons pleaded guilty April 11 to neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury. Lyons was initially charged with four felony counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, but as part of his plea bargain, the state dropped three of the higher level felonies.
Lyons will be sentenced May 10. According to the terms of the plea agreement, Lyons' maximum sentence stands at 10 years for neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury. The judge will still need to decide on the agreement and sentence.
Amiah Robertson was last seen alive on March 9, 2019 after she was reportedly dropped off with a babysitter on South Holmes Avenue.
Amiah's mother, Amber Robertson, reported her daughter missing March 16 of that year. A few days later, on March 23, police announced they were investigating the disappearance of Amiah as a "homicide investigation."
Detectives questioned the babysitter and Lyons, who is Robertson's ex-boyfriend. Lyons was arrested April 30, 2019 in Warren County on a Marion County forgery warrant.
Robertson is charged with several counts of neglect of a dependent including resulting in serious bodily injury.
Her trial is set for June 24.
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.