Resident at Indiana United Methodist Children’s Home takes staff member, other residents hostage

LEBANON, Ind. — A resident at the Indiana United Methodist Children’s Home in Lebanon is accused of taking a staff member and two other residents hostage on Sunday morning, according to the Lebanon Police Department.

The juvenile resident, who has not been identified because of their age, faces preliminary charges of kidnapping, criminal confinement, intimidation with a deadly weapon, strangulation, battery, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct.

A staff member told police that at around 11 a.m. Sunday, she was grabbed by the mouth and a butter knife was held to the side of her body while at the children’s home. She said the suspect ordered her to get the car keys and take them to Indianapolis.

When the staffer told the suspect she could not do this because she had two other residents to look after, the suspect demanded she and the other two residents get in the car.

The worker told police that once they were in the car, she tried to get the suspect to throw the knife out the window because it was scaring her while she was driving.

The suspect eventually put the butter knife in the glove compartment, according to police.

When the car came to a stop at the I-65 overpass, one of the residents in the back seat grabbed the suspect and the staff member ran from the car to a nearby business and called police.

Lebanon police officers arrived and detained the suspect, who was transported to the Hamilton County Juvenile Center.

No injuries were reported.