Here’s everything we know about the missing child. The information in this article is arranged in chronological sequence for clarity, based on information provided by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
The case has now been designated as a homicide investigation by the IMPD. Amiah stands 23 inches tall, has blond hair, and blue eyes. She is roughly 13 pounds in weight.
Amiah Robertson was last seen alive on March 9 at 1:15 p.m. in a home on the city’s west side’s 200 block of S. Holmes Avenue. Robertson was with Robert Lyons, Amiah’s mother, Amber Robertson’s boyfriend. Lyons went with the child and lingered on the southwest side until 10 p.m. before returning to Amber Robertson by herself. Lyons provided police many locations where the infant should be when being questioned. However, police said they were unable to find her in any of those locations.
“Robert (Lyons) has informed family, friends, and me that Amiah is alive and well,” IMPD Detective Jeannie Burkert stated. “All of these locations and homes were checked with the residents’ complete participation.” Some of the locations where she was supposed to be by Robert do not exist.
“Robert Lyons has been taunting Amber Robertson regarding Amiah’s location since March 10.”
Lyons was driving a maroon 1996 Isuzu Rodeo in “poor condition,” according to police.
Despite the fact that Lyons was classified as a suspect, police confirmed on Saturday that they were not looking for him. Lyons was booked into the Marion County Jail on March 17 and released on March 20 on an unrelated charge, according to jail records.
Amiah was last seen on March 14, according to authorities. However, at a press conference on Saturday, they stated that she was last seen on March 9. It’s unknown whether she was spotted in the five days that followed. Officers were concerned about the time between when Amiah went missing and when she was reported missing, according to Smith on Saturday. “That has contributed to some of the challenges we’ve had in determining exactly what happened,” Smith explained.
He stated that some of the information given to police by those close to the situation was misleading at first, but that they were eventually able to corroborate some of the reports.
On March 16, Amiah’s relatives reported her missing. That is five days after she was last seen alive, according to police.
After concluding that the baby was in danger, police issued a Silver Alert. The case did not fulfill the threshold for an Amber Alert, which normally includes detailed identifying data about the missing kid and the last known location of the youngster. The Silver Alert was later canceled on Wednesday. Officials stated that “relatively few tips” were received via the alert-specific hotline, although many were received via social media other department lines.
Amiah has received a Silver Alert. Here’s why there wasn’t an Amber Alert issued.
Detectives secured a search warrant for the South Holmes home and investigated the White River near West McCarthy Street after getting a tip.
Police uncovered goods belonging to Amiah and her family, according to Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Bryan Roach on Saturday. The police refused to say what those objects were.
On March 21, police searched further downstream with the assistance of volunteers and the Indianapolis Fire Department.
The chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and detectives involved in the case convened a press conference on Saturday to provide an update, request information, and vent irritation about prior false reports. “I want you to know that we’re here today because we’re disappointed and, quite candidly, outraged as a result of disinformation, a lack of information, and a lack of collaboration from those most closely involved,” said police chief Roach. “This is an 8-month-old infant, and I think we can all agree that someone knows where he is.”
Amiah’s disappearance has been a popular issue on social media since the investigation began. As a result, there are a plethora of Facebook groups dedicated to discussing the issue, as well as those claiming to have inside information about the investigation.
Earlier in the inquiry, police moved to Twitter to address the social media buzz and urge people to stop spreading “inaccurate reports.” “We monitor social media and seek for those tips,” Sgt. Jim Gillespie told the Indianapolis Star. “We follow up on each one…. We don’t know if it’s going to be true and correct or not, so that diverts resources away from the investigation and focuses them on material that’s entirely unproven, so it’s hampering the investigation in that regard.”
The FBI is helping with the probe. An FBI spokeswoman told IndyStar that the investigation is being led by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and declined to speak further.
Anyone who observed Lyons or the child between 1:30 and 8:30 p.m. on March 9 in the neighborhood of Rockville Road and Mickley Avenue is asked to contact IMPD. They should call the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department at 317-327-3811 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-TIPS.
