At approximately 11:00 AM on February 13, 2022, the Lebanon Police Department responded to a hostage situation in the area of State Road 39 and the I-65 Overpass. LPD Officers were made aware that a juvenile resident of Indiana United Methodist Children’s Home (IUMCH) held a female staff member and two other juvenile residents hostage in an attempt to get to Indianapolis. The arriving LPD Officer was able to apprehend the suspect juvenile with no further incident.
The staff member reported to officers that she was grabbed by the mouth and a butter knife was held to the side of her body while at IUMCH. The staff member reported she was instructed to get the car keys and take the suspect wielding the butter knife to
Indianapolis. The staff member said she told the suspect that she could not take him to Indianapolis because two other juveniles were under her care. The staff member said the suspect demanded that she and the other two juveniles get in the car. The staff
member said she attempted to have the suspect throw the knife out of the window because it was scaring her while she was driving. The staff member said the suspect eventually put the knife in the glove compartment. The staff member said when the vehicle came to a stop at the I-65 overpass, one of the juveniles in the back seat grabbed the suspect, and the staff member ran from the car to a nearby business and called the police. Shortly after the 911 call, LPD Officers arrived on the scene and detained the suspect.
The suspect, being a juvenile, was transported to Hamilton County Juvenile Detention Center on the preliminary charges of Kidnapping, Criminal Confinement, Intimidation with a Deadly Weapon, Strangulation, Battery, Criminal Mischief, and Disorderly Conduct.
