INDIANAPOLIS — The mother of a 3-year-old boy reported missing over the weekend and her boyfriend are facing preliminary charges after searchers located a child's body, police said Monday.
Breanna J. Arnold, 21, and Zachary S. Barnes, 30, both of Bluffton, face preliminary charges of child neglect resulting in death. A 16-year-old Marion boy also was arrested. Police said Barnes and the teenager are believed to be friends, and both face charges of abuse of a corpse.
Three-year-old Owen Collins was last seen about 8 p.m. Saturday. Bluffton police discovered the toddler was missing Sunday afternoon during a welfare check at his home.
A body matching Owen's description was found Sunday night in a nearby wooded area. The body was taken to St. Joseph Hospital, where the autopsy was being conducted Monday for a positive identification. Police said they didn't know when they would have results.
Bluffton Police Chief Nathan Huss said the circumstances surrounding Owen's disappearance are unknown and investigators hope the autopsy provides additional information.
Arnold and Barnes are being held in the Wells County Jail. The teenage boy is in a juvenile detention facility. Huss said bond for Arnold and Barnes has not been set, and all three defendants will appear in court Tuesday.
A Wells County Sheriff's Department official said Arnold and Barnes do not have legal representation yet.