Man, woman charged with murder after reports that children were killed, cremated, buried in Indiana yard
WHEATFIELD, Ind. (CBS) -- A man and woman have been charged with murder and other serious crimes after bone fragments were found in the backyard of a home in Wheatfield, Indiana.
The fragments were found after authorities received a report last month that someone had killed two infants and burned their bodies in a backyard fire pit. An expert has been examining the bone fragments to determine if they were animal bones or possibly those of two infants.
Steven Valle, 31, and Samantha Sebella, 25, are now charged with murder, neglect of a dependent causing death, obstruction of justice, and failure to report a dead body. All but the last count are felonies.
The Jasper County, Indiana Sheriff's office has not specified what the defendants are accused of doing, or their relationship to the children.
"It's a shame if there's babies buried in the backyard," said neighbor Kathy Hudspath. "It is disgusting."
In a joint statement, Jasper County, Indiana Sheriff Patrick Williamson and Coroner Andy Boersma said on the morning of Friday, Sept. 20, the sheriff's office received a report that someone had confessed to acquaintances about killing two of their children and cremating their corpses in the fire pit at their Wheatfield, Indiana home. The release called the children "undocumented," but did not specify what they meant with the term.
The Jasper County Sheriff's office began investigating. The same day, detectives found at least one suspect in a hotel in neighboring Newton County who denied any involvement in the alleged crime—but their cellular devices were seized as evidence.
New information was obtained from the cellular devices, and detectives sought out the suspect or suspects again, the sheriff's office said. Another child in the care of the suspect or suspects was taken into protective custody by the Indiana Department of Child Services, the sheriff's office said.
The sheriff's office and the Indiana State Police conducted follow-up interviews with the suspects, and information that came to light resulted in their arrests.
Meanwhile, on Monday morning this week, Jasper County Sheriff's detectives and personnel from other law enforcement agencies searched a home in the 4200 block of Old Orchard Lane in Wheatfield with two cadaver dogs assisting. The current residents and the homeowner cooperated with the search, the sheriff's office said.
The cadaver dogs pinpointed three separate locations, where partial bone fragments were found, the sheriff's office said.
Investigators used shovels to break ground on the side of the Old Orchard Lane home. They were seen collecting samples of dirt, and sifting through the backyard fire pit.
The bones were taken to Indianapolis for further testing to determine if they were human or animal bones. Typically, law enforcement uses forensic anthropologists to make that determination.
Valle and Sebella were transported to the Jasper County Detention Center and held on probable cause.