Aug. 29—GOSHEN — A Goshen mother was sentenced to 37 years in prison by a plea agreement for injuries that left her 3-month-old baby hospitalized.
Kyrie E. Brenneman, 30, Goshen, was charged with two counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in catastrophic injury on Sept. 29, 2022, and six counts of domestic battery with serious bodily injury to a person under 14.
According to a probable cause affidavit, doctors at Goshen Hospital contacted police to investigate possible child abuse after a baby was brought in with brain bleeding Sept. 29. The 3-month-old baby girl suffered a skull fracture, brain bleeding and seizures, and was ultimately flown to Riley Hospital for Children for treatment.
Elkhart County Homicide Unit was also called in for the investigation as at the time, since doctors weren't sure if the girl would survive.
According to court documents, Brenneman and her boyfriend told police during questioning that the baby's dad, her boyfriend, had been caring for the child and accidentally dropped her on her head on the changing table. The boyfriend later told police it was a lie and said they made up the story together so Brenneman wouldn't have to go to jail, the report reads.
He told police that Brenneman told him that she dropped the baby and shook her and then took her to the hospital, the documents show. When questioned, the records noted, Brenneman then said that it was she who dropped the baby on the changing table on Sept. 28 and that she shook her because she would not stop crying, and also squeezed her in her arms.
After the baby stopped crying, police said, she put the baby in her crib and went to bed and didn't check on her again until her boyfriend got home from work around 3 p.m. He noticed the child wasn't acting "like herself," the probable cause affidavit reads.
The next morning, Sept. 29, the couple found blood on the crib and changing table but couldn't find any cuts on the baby, so they thought the blood came from her mouth and took to her the hospital. The baby's arm began twitching and she began possibly having seizures, the affidavit reads.
Brenneman told police that she'd dropped, squeezed, chucked, shook, or smacked the baby before out of frustration because her crying kept her awake, between June 24 and Sept. 28.
Brenneman said at the sentencing that during her time going through court proceedings, she's been working toward becoming a better person.
The state said that the child is now delayed as a result of those injuries sustained two years ago and will likely require extensive medical care for most of her life.
Brenneman was sentenced for the following convictions: domestic battery with serious bodily injury to a person under 14, a Level 3 felony, to 16 years with 10 years at the Indiana Department and six years on reporting probation; neglect of a dependent resulting in serious injury, a Level 3 felony, to 16 years with 10 years at the Indiana Department of Corrections and six years on reporting probation, to be served consecutively to the first sentence; and three counts of domestic battery with serious bodily injury to a person under 14, a Level 3 felony, 16 years with 10 years at the Indiana Department and six years on reporting probation, to be served concurrently; and two counts of domestic battery on a person less than 14, a Level 6 felony, with each having a sentence of two and half years at the Indiana Department of Corrections, to be served consecutively.
A Level 1 felony, neglect of a dependent resulting in catastrophic injury, and two Level 6 domestic battery charges, were dropped.
LORAIN D. CHILDS
A woman originally charged with a robbery at Jams Smoke Shop last year was sentenced to a total of four years with the Indiana Department of Corrections, which she will serve on probation and work release after pleading guilty to theft and battery.
Police were called to Jams Smoke Shop, 1530 S. Nappanee St., Elkhart after it was reported that a robbery had taken place there at 1:57 p.m. May 22, 2023.
A store associate told police that two individuals, one man and one woman, had entered the store and, while the man was engaging her in conversation, the woman grabbed a vape in front of the register and tucked it into her shirt, and then the two left the store.
The associate claimed she went out to confront the woman who stole the vape and said if she returned it, she would not call the police. She went back into the store to grab her phone in order to take photos of the vehicle the two were driving, and the woman followed her, returning a different vape than the one she took.
The attendant again followed her back out of the store and said the woman became agitated that she was going to take photos of the vehicle and the attendant then attempted to call the police and punched her. The coupe left.
Surveillance videos were broadcast on social media and Lorain Childs and Darius Branch were identified.
During her sentencing, Childs apologized for her actions
"I should have just walked away and I shouldn't have stole, period," Childs said, adding that she did write a letter to the attendance apologizing.
Childs was sentenced on Count 1, theft, a Level 6 felony, to two years at the Indiana Department of Corrections with one year suspended on probation and one year at the Elkhart County Correctional Facility with a recommendation of Work Release. For Count 2, battery, a Level 6 felony, she was sentenced to the same, to be served consecutively.
FAITH A. SALINAS
A Goshen woman was sentenced to home detention and probation after pleading guilty to dealing drugs in Elkhart County Circuit Court on Thursday.
Goshen police and ICE Unit officers arrested Faith Salinas, 23, after a vehicle she was a passenger in was stopped on Aug. 29, 2022.
Salinas admitted to having Percocets, ecstasy, marijuana, and about $12,000 in the vehicle and said all of it was hers.
In searching the vehicle, police also found a handgun, suspected fentanyl pills, and a safe. Salinas told police that she sold the drugs.
While in the Elkhart County Jail, Salinas suffered broken legs and became paralyzed.
"Ms. Salinas has had the biggest wake-up call I have ever seen," said attorney Bridgette Faulkner during sentencing.
Salinas was sentenced for a count of dealing in cocaine or a narcotic drug, a Level 5 felony, to four years at the Indiana Department of Corrections with two years suspended on reporting probation and two to be served alternatively at Elkhart County Community Corrections with a recommendation of home detention. Other counts, dealing in a narcotic drug manufacture/deliver/finance-10 or more grams, a Level 2 felony; dealing in a Schedule I controlled substance with weight at least 28 grams, a Level 2 felony; dealing in marijuana weighing between 30 grams and 10 pounds, a Level 6 felony, were dropped.
UNDREA A. HOUSE
A woman who was accused of a bank robbery in Dunlap last Wednesday saw her first day in court on Thursday.
Undrea A. House, 28, of Elkhart, is accused by the state of robbing the First Source Bank at 4594 Elkhart Road on Aug. 21.
Police were called to the bank at 9:18 a.m. for a panic alarm.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the bank manager told police that they'd just been robbed at gunpoint and provided police with a description of a woman. Using the Flock camera system, police were able to locate the get-away vehicle parked at Ashton Pines Apartments. Police presented a still photo from the bank to the property manager at Ashton Pines, who reportedly confirmed the identity of the woman was Undrea A. House, 28, of Elkhart. House was taken into custody.
The bank claimed she stole a little over $ 1,000 from a teller at the bank by gunpoint. Some of the money was bait money, with known serial numbers for tracking purposes, the affidavit claims.
During her initial hearing, House was appointed a public defender, and received her upcoming hearing dates. House is scheduled for a pretrial conference on Sept. 26, with an omnibus date of Oct. 24, a trial status conference on Jan. 16, and her jury trial is set for Feb. 17.
ADRIAN S. VAUGHN and TREY A.A. DEBAILLIE
Two men accused of auto theft and a related burglary of a garage had pretrial status conferences during Elkhart County Circuit Court on Thursday.
Police were called to the 600 block of West Van Buren Street in Nappanee for an auto theft at 2:08 a.m. July 25.
In the area, police stated in their affidavit they found two individuals running away from ATVs. Two men, Adrian Vaughn and Trey A.A. Debaillie, were found in a backyard in the 500 block of Parkview Court directly north, and due to wet foot prints and the two sweating, they believed them responsible, the affidavit reads.
The two said they knew nothing of the stolen ATV, but police found on Debaillie a lanyard with a singular ATV key, who said the key belonged to him, court records show.
The victim reported that he'd left the spare key in the glove box, matching the description of the one in Debaillie's possession, but Debaillie still claimed it was his key and had no idea why it would start the ATV, the report reads.
The caller told police he saw two men in black pulling a trailer away from the neighbor's truck, unloading the ATV by hand and pushing it down the road, according to the affidavit. Officers also found video security footage of the vehicle, confirming the caller's allegations, and the two men running north upon police arrival.
Officers said they also found the vehicle involved in the theft nearby and while taking inventory, found a bag of marijuana and a crossbow. They also asked a neighbor nearby to check her unlocked detached garage for anything missing, and she said she was missing a crossbow and that her garage was always locked, and police found that the garage window had been propped open.
Both Debaillie and Vaughn have jury trials scheduled for Feb. 3, with pretrial conferences on Jan. 9.
DONTE D. GREENE
Former NBA player Donte Greene had his jury trial rescheduled from Sept. 23 to Feb. 17 during Elkhart County Circuit Court on Thursday.
Greene is accused of a Level 5 felony charge of attempted robbery dating back to Nov. 8
Greene was arrested on charges of robbery, intimidation, and interfering in the reporting of a crime after officers were dispatched to Phillips 66, 1819 Lincolnway East, Goshen, at 12:36 a.m. to investigate a report.
Officers were called to the area due to a report made by an employee of the attached Taco Bell of a drunk driver who had entered the building. Greene was not charged with any driving infractions.
According to court documents, a clerk at the gas station stated to officers that Greene told him to "give him all the money" before making threatening motions. When the cashier pulled out his phone to call 911, the charging affidavit reads, Greene told him not to.
Surveillance footage reportedly confirms Greene allegedly talking with the clerk and then walking around the store, then taking items out of his pocket and taking his shirt off before reportedly lunging at the cashier. Police also said in the affidavit that Greene did not have a weapon, nor did he take anything from the store.
Greene played college basketball for the Syracuse Orange before being selected in the 2008 NBA Draft for the Memphis Grizzlies, and later played for the Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings, the Reno Bighorns, the Boston Celtics, the Brooklyn Nets, among others, and played for several teams located outside the United States as well during his time as a pro baller. His last known affiliation was with the Taichung Wagor Suns of T1 League of Taiwan, signing on Oct. 7, 2021, although he did not make the league's final rosters.
IMMANUEL A. BOSTIC
A man charged with robbery pleaded guilty during Thursday's Circuit Court proceedings.
Immanuel Bostic, 29, and Carrie Bets, 40, claimed they had permission to be at 26317 C.R. 4, Elkhart, and that the home had been sold to them, according to a charging affidavit.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the homeowner's Realtor contacted police June 7 stating the house appeared to have been tampered with since he'd last seen it. He told police that he noticed the blinds had been drawn despite being open previously, and he saw clothing and other items inside that had not been there during the home's open house June 3, and the homeowner confirmed to him that no one should be at the home. The "For Sale" sign had also been removed, along with the lockbox on the front door.
Bets and Bostic were reportedly found exiting a bedroom, and while they were being detained Bostic allegedly told police they had just bought the house. During questioning, the affidavit reads, they told police they'd been staying there since May 31 but knew nothing about the open house June 3, and that a man named Mike had given them a tour of the home and permission to stay there, but the Realtor and homeowner confirmed no one named "Mike" was involved with the residence in any way, according to the affidavit.
They reportedly admitted that meth and paraphernalia found in the home did belong to them, as well as the food in the fridge, court records stated. Appliances and other items using electricity in the residence were identified, which would result in the property owner being charged for utilities.
Bets and Bostic were arrested on charges of burglary, residential entry, theft, and possession of meth and paraphernalia.
Bets was sentenced to two years in January, with half of her sentence to be served at the Elkhart County Correctional Facility and the other half on work release.
Bostic's sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 26.
JUAN L. CAMACHO GALLARDO
A man facing felony charges for his part in a crash resulting in serious bodily injury on Sept. 24, 2022, had his trial continued from Sept. 23 to Feb. 17, 2025.
Juan Camacho Gallardo is charged with several counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated via alcohol and marijuana. On that day, Elkhart police responded to a serious injury crash at the intersection of Bristol Street and C.R. 7.
Police said at the scene, they were unable to perform standard field sobriety tests due to a potential injury, along with Camacho's overall uncooperative behavior. Camacho was ultimately transported to Elkhart General Hospital for treatment, where he reportedly told medics he'd had four or five drinks prior to the crash, and an officer that escorted Camacho to the hospital said he continued to exhibit signs of uncooperative, belligerent behavior, threatening to kill himself and hospital staff, running into a door, and urinating in the corner of the hospital room, the affidavit reads.
Camacho did consent to a blood draw at the hospital, with results indicating a BAC of .342. A toxicology report found that at the time of the crash, Camacho's BAC would have been .279, and also presented THC in his blood.
The other driver was identified as Benjamin Battle.
EMILY Y. PICH
A woman accused of financial fraud saw her trial rescheduled from Sept. 23 to Feb. 17.
Former Key Bank employee Emily Pich, 41, is accused of taking out a credit card, personal loans, and a home equity line of credit under Yom and Hong Ean's names.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the couple's son contacted police Nov. 24, 2021 regarding a foreclosure notice from Key Bank on his parent's house at 2617 California Road, Elkhart. Key Bank had told him that Pich had taken out a home equity line of credit March 14, 2014, against the Eans without the bank's permission, and also opened a credit card in their name in July 2013, and taken out a personal line of credit in November 2015 and that Key Bank was holding Pich responsible for the fraudulent loans, the affidavit reads.
Documents submitted to police from Key Bank reportedly show Pich took out the lines of credit purported to be signed by the Eans. The home equity line of credit had an outstanding balance of $65,479.40, and payments were made on time until early 2020, keeping the loan from going into default and preventing Key Bank and the Eans from discovering the fraud, the affidavit shows. Upon default of the loan, Key Bank discovered the fraudulence, and the account was closed Jan. 20, 2022.
The personal line of credit had an outstanding balance of $8,621.68, and the credit card had an outstanding balance of $2,329.64 and was closed on March 18, 2022.
CHRISTAIN Z. WALL
A jury trial for the shooting at Galley Sports Pub, 3147 Northview Drive, in Elkhart, was scheduled.
Christian Z. Wall, 22, of Ellerbe, North Carolina, is accused in the Dec. 14 shooting death of Michael Pike, 30, and Jalen Young, 24.
On that day, officers responded to numerous calls for a shooting at the bar. Pike was dead on scene, and Young was gravely injured, hospitalized and pronounced dead later.
Officers said they were told that Wall was the shooter. He was located sitting in a gray Ford Fusion in the parking lot a few feet from where the two men had been lying, according to a probable cause affidavit.
A man who said he had arrived at the bar with Young told police that when the bar closed, he and Young were in the parking lot when an argument and then a fight ensued between Young and Wall, according to the affidavit. The fist fight was broken up by bystanders and immediately following, the witness, Young, and a woman attempted to leave in a vehicle but another argument began and Young exited the vehicle and was shot in the head, the charging affidavit stated. Young and the woman reportedly fled the scene and a second shot of a handgun was heard.
A bartender told police, per the affidavit, that he was advised of a fight breaking out in the parking lot where a gun had been displayed and recognized the shooter as Wall. From the window, the bartender told police that Pike appeared to have been trying to break up a fight between Young and Wall and was "executed" by Wall, the affidavit reads.
Police in their statement said they also reviewed security footage, and found a Glock 9mm handgun under the front passenger seat and two 9mm casings spent in the parking lot.
Wall denied having shot anyone, but, according to the affidavit, recalled "chaos," and having his Glock 99mm handgun in the center console of the vehicle where, he said, it remained all night. He reportedly said he did not remember fighting or shooting anyone.
Wall's jury trial was rescheduled from Sept. 23 to Feb. 17, 2025.
GABRIALA PETERS
A teen associated with a robbery, assault and battery from an incident where three girls ran away from Bashor Children's Home in October 2022 saw her jury trial continued from Sept. 23 to Feb. 17 during Elkhart County Circuit Court on Thursday.
According to police, Gabriala Peter, Nimaoni King, and another teen ran away from Bashor Oct. 10, 2022. In the course of their escape, they allegedly assaulted a staff member and stole her building keys to escape.
Later that day, officers were advised of three young women running on properties near C.R. 30 and C.R. 15, and they were apprehended — although two of them attempted to resist law enforcement, police said. King was sentenced to 14 years in May.
Peters' trial status conference is scheduled for Jan. 16.
Dani Messick is the education and entertainment reporter for The Goshen News. She can be reached at dani.messick@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2065.
