Baby Delano’s father charged with murder
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The father of missing baby Delano Wilson, who disappeared in August, has been charged with murder in the death of his son.
Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry announced the murder charge against Willie Wilson Wednesday afternoon.
Six-week-old Delano Wilson disappeared on Aug. 27, 2014. At the time, Willie Wilson told police the baby was taken from him at gunpoint around noon that day. Willie Wilson said he was walking in an alley holding his son when a man and woman approached him. He said he was punched in the mouth and pistol whipped by one of the robbers. Officers who responded to the scene say they found no visible injuries to Willie Wilson’s face or mouth.
The FBI uncovered 24 different searches or websites in browser history on Willie Wilson’s phone related to child abduction, missing children, kidnapping and “babies who’ve been abducted and not found,” court documents note. A document about child abductions was downloaded about one hour and 40 minutes before Willie Wilson called 911.
A neighbor reported hearing a disturbance around 3 a.m. that same day, according to court documents. Detectives later reviewed video from a nearby surveillance camera that recorded at the same time Willie Wilson says the robbery and abduction happened, around noon. The video did not show Delano Wilson with Willie at the time.
The baby’s disappearance was the subject of an Amber Alert that was canceled two days after it was issued. Police searched the area where Willie Wilson said the baby was taken, which was along Henry Street near the intersection of Oliver Avenue and Harding Street just west of downtown. Investigators also searched Little Eagle Creek closer to Delano’s disappearance.
Prosecutors said Wednesday they have not found Delano’s body, but believe he is dead.
“A child can’t speak for himself, and too often our children are taken for granted and we have to remember they are our most precious resource,” IMPD Chief Rick Hite said Wednesday.
In interviews with police, Willie Wilson also brought up a case involving another of his children. He told police he had to testify in front of a grand jury in Toledo, Ohio about his child who had suffered various injuries, including a broken arm. According to court documents, Willie Wilson told police he failed a polygraph in that case but was not charged because the child’s mother said she caused all of the baby’s injuries.
In court documents, Delano’s mom told police she thought the baby was cold while Willie was holding him the last time she saw him before the disappearance. She told police, “I don’t want to say Willie did it, but in the back of my mind I have a funny feeling.”
