An Elkhart County father and stepmother have been charged with murder in connection with the death of a 6-year-old boy earlier this month. The Elkhart County Prosecutor’s Office announced Monday that 29-year-old Franklin Elmore Jr. and 27-year-old Cheyenne Elmore were formally charged just days after their arrest.
The victim was Franklin’s biological son. Investigators say the incident occurred shortly before 9 p.m. on Sunday, August 3, when Franklin allegedly attacked the child inside his “playroom.” The boy became unresponsive. According to court records obtained by WNDU 16 News Now, surveillance footage showed Franklin pacing in the yard with his hands on his head before Cheyenne called 911.
He was reportedly overheard muttering the word “jail” as he reentered the house. The child was rushed to the hospital but later died. Initially, the couple claimed the boy had been hitting himself due to behavioral issues. However, doctors at the hospital disputed this, telling investigators they believed the injuries, which included a brain bleed, a punctured lung, and multiple bruises and abrasions, were not self-inflicted.
Franklin allegedly admitted to previously spanking the boy with a belt and placing a bar of soap in his mouth. Neighbors told police they had witnessed Franklin disciplining the boy through lengthy physical exercises in the yard, a method he reportedly admitted was his preferred form of punishment.
A search of Franklin and Cheyenne’s phones revealed no evidence of the child injuring himself, but police say they found disturbing images and videos of the boy with severe bruises and even locked inside his playroom.
The boy’s biological mother, Miranda McBride, who lives in Alabama, told WNDU she had suspected abuse and contacted Indiana’s Department of Child Services (DCS) before her son’s death. “I’ve reported to CPS the things that my son was saying. And they said they could do nothing because they didn’t find any bruises,” McBride said. She added that her son had told her he sometimes went to bed hungry as punishment.
McBride said she filed a report months ago, but the agency did not find grounds for further action. In a statement to WNDU, DCS confirmed it is aware of the case but said it is unable to release any records due to the ongoing police investigation and criminal prosecution. An autopsy has been conducted, but investigators say the results are still pending.