Hi. >> Where's your dad? Huh? >> Huh? >> Who's home with you? >> Daddy. >> Where's he at? >> Hello. Portage police. Hello. >> Hey. Terry. >> My name's Me. So, I'm Megan. Um, I'm at the department. >> What are you doing? >> Saturday, June 17th, 2023. Portage, Indiana. A call from a neighbor alerted police about the presence of a 9-year-old boy with developmental disabilities and severe communication limitations who had wandered into a nearby apartment wearing only underwear. What seemed like an isolated incident soon revealed a case of neglect that required formal intervention. I'm Tyler and this is your daily dose of crime. >> Hi. >> Where's your dad? >> Dad. >> Where's your dad? >> Dad? >> Yeah. Where's your dad? Doctor. >> Huh? >> Huh? >> Who's home with you? >> Daddy. >> Where's he at? No, you're not going to shut the door. Where's dad at? >> You don't know? >> Don't know. >> Hello, Portidge. Police. Hello. >> Hello. >> All right. Come here. Where do you Where's your room at? Where's dad's room? Hello, Porsche police. Anybody in here? [Music] >> The empty apartment confirmed that the child had been left without supervision for a prolonged period of time. >> All right, we're not going to walk out there. You're not dressed. Okay. >> Okay. >> Where's Do you have a phone to call dad on? >> Phone to call dad. Huh? >> Yeah. >> No. No. Nope. order is going to >> The 911 call had been logged at 12:30 p.m. By 1:17 p.m., officers entered the apartment and confirmed what the report suggested. There was no adult present and the child was completely alone. The absence of a responsible caregiver reinforced the seriousness of the case. Nearly an hour had passed since the alert, raising a central question. Why had a child with severe communication limitations been left unsupervised for so long? >> Can I see your phone? >> Is it unlocked? >> Hold on. I'm looking at it. >> This rabbit's helicopter. >> Your phone doesn't work. Look. >> Okay. You have a charger for it? That's a helicopter. [Applause] Hold on. >> Come here. >> Go sit on your bed. >> The boy's urge to leave the apartment again reflected restless behavior typical of a lack of containment. >> Unlock it. >> Unlock it. >> Put the code in. >> Put the code in the iPad. >> Get the code. >> Come on. in the land. >> You have games on here. >> Can you show me? >> Show me. >> Yeah, show me. Shabby >> rescued. [Music] >> What's your dad's name? >> Your dad's name. Do you know what your dad's name is? >> No. >> No. No. No. No. Stay in here. >> Have a seat. Have a seat. >> What did they say the female's name was? >> Shut out the female's name. I know. >> While officers searched electronic devices for any contacts, it became evident that the child could not provide reliable information. His playful responses underscored the challenges of leaving a child with developmental disabilities without adult oversight. For investigators, the absence of a guardian at such a critical moment shifted the focus from a simple welfare check to a situation of potential endangerment requiring immediate action. [Music] Do you know what his name is? >> Okay. When was the last time you saw dad here? >> I mean, everybody finds their business, >> right? >> Um, I feel like this is definitely not the first time he was slept at home because like, you know how he said the door? >> I hear that all the time in my apartment during the day. Never at night. During the day, >> so I just when he started sending the door, I was like, >> you know what the dad's name is? >> No. >> It should be in the mailbox. Honestly, I throw it. >> Okay. But you aren't going to tell them that I was on. >> What time did he come into your guys' apartment today? >> Like the first time. >> Okay. >> I tried. >> Yeah. >> And that's when he ran like open the door and >> um he did it twice. And then after the second time, then I tried like going tried like kissing me and stuff. And then I came up again and then he didn't he stopped for like a good like hour. It was a couple hours. This like the first time I came in was when he first woke up. It was at like 9:00 and then I just left to know the bank >> and this happened like >> he came in when she was gone. Yeah. >> About 20 minutes ago. >> So about 1:00ish he came in. Was that the second time or? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> 9:30. >> So they me to sleep and got >> this morning. >> And both times he just walked right in. >> Yeah. And I wanted to ask all the neighbors like he's tried doing that but I know everybody just minds their business here. >> Okay. And what did >> what was he doing >> when he came in both times like >> um the first time he just like opened it. You were I was on my bed and he walked in and my friend on the couch and like he knows her cuz he like just seen I just moved in. So he was like he looked at us and then it looked like he was looking for her and then once I kind of got up like what the hell he ran away. >> Yeah, he was. >> He started dancing. He made some sort of noise. He was wearing a bubble chain crown. >> Um yeah, >> but he was how he is right now like in just in his underwear. >> And then this morning when he came in, what did he do? >> Oh, no. That's how he did. >> Oh, that was this morning. What did he do at >> just now? >> Yeah. >> Oh, he just stuck his head in and then he was like, "Oh." And like he said something and then he ran out. >> Okay. And you said this has happened before today. Had it happened before today? >> Um it last night he tried coming in too, but the door was locked. My friend I mean we didn't know it was him at first and that makes sense cuz we couldn't see anymore where those teeth. >> Well, Bella said that she said like it was a kid. It was Okay. >> All right. If I need anything else for me, I'll give you a call. Thanks for calling. >> Neighbors account suggested this was not an isolated occurrence. They described other moments when the child had tried to leave without supervision, indicating a recurring pattern. For a child requiring constant support, each lapse in oversight increased the likelihood of harm. Their testimonies raised an important question. How long had this situation been happening without intervention? What began as a single incident now pointed toward ongoing neglect? What's your name? Oh, take it over here for dad. >> Can I see your tablet? >> I just want to see this real quick. >> And Mummy Pig is in her study doing important work on her computer. Oh >> here here's your tablet, buddy. >> I'm going to white page this man. See if I can get a phone number. It was now 1:35 p.m. and no adult had returned to the apartment. >> Stay in here. >> Oh, stay in here. >> Yeah, he's um appears to be autistic, like non-verbal. >> Um he went to the neighbor's house, helped himself into their apartment, danced around in his underwear. Um, we came down here after they called us >> and um there's no one home. So, [Music] >> So, yeah, we >> we've been trying to get some contact information for um the homeowner here without success. So, we don't really have anybody else to call at this point. about 20 minutes. >> All right. >> Thanks. Y >> Come on, B. >> Hey, come here. I got something for you. He's got a present for you. >> Present. >> As more time passed, officer's priorities shifted. It was no longer only about clarifying what had occurred, but ensuring the child's immediate protection. Extended periods without supervision for a child with developmental disabilities activated emergency protocols as the potential risks could not be ignored. At this stage, the absence of a guardian raised not only safety concerns but also legal questions regarding custodial responsibility. >> What's up, man? How you doing? >> Hey, come in here, Terry. >> My name's Me. So, I'm Megan. Um, I'm the department service. >> What did you do? >> What did you do? Portage 182. The male is on >> scene. Sorry. Sorry. >> So, he was running around uh with no >> he >> I mean he he did this early this morning, too. So, how long have you been gone? >> I just I've been sleeping. >> Yeah. I just I just >> Yeah. I just I just had to go. >> I'm assuming you're Terry, right? >> Um Yeah. So, they got a call that he was running around this morning. >> He went into your upstairs neighbor's apartment. He just walked right in. >> Yeah. I'm sorry. Because he has autism and I just ran to the store to go get some things and everything cuz I take him with me sometimes and that tablet he be he be acting crazy. So, I know that's got no excuse. But >> yeah. >> Okay. Um, so my concern is that him being left alone is >> never >> Okay, I I'm going to have to call my supervisor just to step out and call my supervisor cuz this was not a safe like he even while we were standing here, he kept running out. >> He ran out several times. >> Suddenly, Terry McKenna arrived at the apartment showing clear signs of nervousness as he faced the officers and saw his son under their care. For investigators, his demeanor suggested an awareness of the seriousness of the situation and the need for accountability. The presence of a supervisor from the Department of Child Services added another layer of formality, shifting the focus from a neighbor's initial call to an official child protection review. From that point forward, the matter was no longer about personal explanations, but about the safety measures that state authorities considered necessary. >> Yeah. Um, if anything, if we were to have to detain, is there anywhere a family member that he could go to? >> Uh, yes. His his mom, but >> Okay. >> Uh, >> do you have him full time? >> Yeah. I mean, I I I just have him because I I have him a lot. You know what I'm saying? So, >> it's 50/50. >> Yeah. It's more like it's it's more like she got to join 5050. I'll say that. >> Okay. >> What is mom's name? >> Okay. Is there a phone number that I can reach her at? Um, >> okay. Do you have a phone number for her? >> Uh, no. I don't have one for her right now. Uh, okay. She uh she's uh I don't have one for right now. >> Okay. Okay. I'm going to call my supervisor real quick. >> Okay. >> Um >> I mean, you see our dilemma here, though. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I mean, cuz I've been here for well over an hour. >> Right. Right. And you know I I I >> and your upstairs neighbor here. He at 9:00 this morning he ran into their apartment, started dancing around in his underwear and then ran out. They didn't know where he went. So they but he did it again at 1:00. >> So and they were able to follow him down here. So then >> I went to sleep. I I I was sleep like >> So then they knocked on the door at 1:00 >> and he answers and obviously you're not here. Um, so I mean, and we're going on 3:00 now. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. I know that. That's I was >> What store were you running to? >> I was at I was doing my little I I was doing my little Uberies thing. I I I just had an order. I >> So, you're making deliveries? >> I I was making just making just a quick delivery. Then I went to get him some food and everything. I know. I I take him with me, but he you know just this time. >> Did you get him food? >> Yeah, I I did. I left in the car because I was rushing because I I know what was going. I had to come back here to check up on my son. I was like if I could. >> When questioned, McKenna gave explanations that shifted over time and did not provide a clear account of why his son had been left without supervision. For the officers and the DCS supervisor, these inconsistencies would point to a lack of reliability in his version of events and raised concerns about his ability to meet the responsibilities of custody. In child protection investigations, clarity and coherence are essential since they determine whether a child can remain safely in the current environment or must be placed under alternative care. Each contradiction, no matter how small, diminished his credibility as a caregiver and reinforce the decision to maintain closer oversight through formal monitoring. It's just not what happened there because I I can't I can't I >> Is there previous incidents like this? >> No. No. No sir. >> I mean, listen, we both He's special needs obviously. Okay. Um >> even while you're here, at the very least, you should have some sort of safety child safety locks on here >> up high because I mean, he figured out the dead bolt and all that pretty easy. And you know, he's been running back and forth. We chase him down the hallway several times cuz he, you know, he'll dash out of your room out into there. >> You know, I I know he'd be hurtful. >> It's, you know, it's just >> like you're you're kind of putting me in a rock between a rock and a hard place here because honestly, I have enough to take you to jail right now for child. >> Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no. I don't need that, sir. I'm sorry. >> Okay. It'd be one thing if he was like fully, you know, with it and, you know, able to take care of himself, but he's he can't even talk barely. Okay. He can't communicate like a normal person. So, I mean, how is he supposed to take care of himself? >> Mckenni told the officer that jail was unnecessary. An acknowledgement of the seriousness of his actions. Yes, sir. >> I mean, so you see where I'm at? >> Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Anyway, I I should have It was just a bone head on on my on my head, please. Please. >> Um, so what we're going to do is we're going to sit down and we're going to do a safety plan. Okay? And we're going to probably open an IIA, which is an informal adjustment, which not involve the courts or anything. Um, you'll just have a case manager that's up to 6 months. They will make like weekly stops just to make sure like everything's going okay. Get you the things you guys need. Okay. >> Yes. It it was it's it was it was mainly me. I it's it's it's >> you just he could not be alone. >> I it's it's it was just something I just >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I won't leave alone. It's >> So dad came home. Um CPS at this point wants to just do a safety advisory check with him or something like that. I guess they go through like options for resources and stuff since he has a special needs son and that kind of thing. >> The case of Terry McKenna proceeded under the charge of level six felony neglect of a dependent. An offense in Indiana that carries potential penalties of up to 2 and 1/2 years in prison, financial sanctions, and restrictions on custodial rights. At the same time, the Department of Child Services established a structured monitoring plan, including regular home visits and requirements to ensure that basic safety conditions were met. The situation highlighted the vulnerability of children with developmental disabilities when supervision is inconsistent and underscored the challenges that arise when caregivers attempt to balance financial pressures with a high level of attention that such children require. In response, state authorities implemented a framework aimed at preserving the family relationship, but under strict oversight with the objective of preventing similar incidents from occurring in the future.