Two Frankfort adults were arrested on September 17, 2026, and charged with felony neglect of a dependent after a child was hospitalized in late August with serious injuries, according to the Frankfort Times[1]. This article updates an earlier report on the same case with the arrests and charges. The investigation is ongoing.
The child is a minor. This article does not include the child’s name, age, school or any other identifying information.
What the Frankfort Times reported
According to the Frankfort Times, the child was hospitalized on or about August 22, 2026, with malnutrition, severe bruising and multiple fractures. The exact period over which the injuries occurred was not specified. The child was transported to a hospital that was not named, and the child’s condition has since been upgraded to stable.
The Frankfort Police Department arrested Jacob Aaron Neal, 31, and Elizabeth Lynn Crow, 27, on September 17, according to the Frankfort Times. Both face a Level 5 felony charge of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury. These charges are allegations. Both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until convicted.
The Clinton County Prosecutor’s Office and the Indiana Department of Child Services are also involved, according to the Frankfort Times. Other children in the home were removed by the Department of Child Services and reported healthy.
What families should understand about a child’s civil claim
This is a criminal matter rather than an accident, but it raises practical questions that can arise whenever a child is seriously hurt and someone else may be responsible. The following is general information about Indiana law, not a conclusion about this case.
A child’s civil claim is separate from the criminal case. A criminal prosecution is brought by the state and concerns punishment. A civil claim belongs to the injured child and may seek compensation for medical care, future treatment and the harm itself. One does not replace the other, and a conviction is not required before a civil claim can be brought.
A child cannot personally bring a claim. A parent, guardian or court-appointed representative acts on the child’s behalf. When the people who would ordinarily act are accused of causing the harm, an Indiana court may appoint a guardian ad litem or next friend to protect the child’s interests. Indiana courts also supervise settlements involving minors. More general information is available on the firm’s child injury attorney page.
Hospital records, imaging and physician findings may document both the injuries and how they occurred. Those records should be collected and protected by the person who is lawfully responsible for the child. The firm’s guide to preserving injury evidence explains why complete records can matter when responsibility is disputed.
Future care also matters. Fractures and malnutrition in a child can affect growth, development and health for years. A claim resolved before the full medical picture is understood usually cannot be reopened, which is one reason courts scrutinize settlements involving minors.
Why location matters in an Indiana injury claim
This case arose at a private residence in Frankfort, in Clinton County. The Frankfort Police Department investigated, the Clinton County Prosecutor’s Office is handling the criminal charges, and the Indiana Department of Child Services is involved. A civil claim is ordinarily filed in the county where the conduct occurred or where a defendant lives, which may point to the Clinton County courts in Frankfort.
If a government entity could share responsibility for an injury, the Indiana Tort Claims Act may require written notice before a lawsuit is filed. Indiana Code 34-13-3-8[2] sets a 180-day notice period for claims against a political subdivision such as a city or county. Indiana Code 34-13-3-6[3] sets a 270-day notice period for claims against the state. No source has reported an earlier report or an agency failure in this case, and this article does not suggest that one occurred. You can read more about these requirements in the firm’s guide to Indiana government tort claim notices.
Indiana’s Comparative Fault Act, Indiana Code 34-51-2-6[4], can reduce or bar recovery based on a claimant’s share of fault. It has little role when the claimant is a child of tender years, and it does not apply to intentional conduct in the same way that it applies to carelessness.
Most Indiana injury claims must be filed within two years under Indiana Code 34-11-2-4[5]. For a minor, Indiana Code 34-11-6-1[6] generally tolls the child’s own filing period while the child remains under a legal disability. A separate claim brought by an adult for the child’s medical expenses is not tolled and follows the ordinary two-year schedule. The difference can leave an adult’s claim time-barred while the child’s claim remains open.
How Delventhal Law Office can help
Delventhal Law Office, LLC is a personal injury law firm in Fort Wayne, Indiana, founded by attorney Chad E. Delventhal in 2009. The firm handles Indiana injury claims involving children, including cases in which an adult responsible for a child’s care may have caused serious harm.
Chad Delventhal can explain who may legally act for an injured child, help obtain and organize medical records, examine which people or insurance policies may bear responsibility, and explain the rules governing a minor’s settlement. Insurance companies and other defendants may aggressively defend these claims, so careful preparation matters.
If you are responsible for protecting an injured child’s interests, you can request a free case evaluation. Delventhal Law Office can give you a plain-language explanation of the next steps and the deadlines that may apply.
This post is based on public reporting, the investigation may be ongoing, and nothing here is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship.
