An Indiana mother is facing multiple felony charges after her 22-month-old son was discovered dead and severely malnourished outside their Shelby County home.
Sophie Igou, 28, appeared in court Tuesday, where prosecutors charged her with two counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in death and three additional counts of neglect involving her surviving children, ages four and eight.
Authorities say Igou called 911 on September 17, reporting that her toddler, identified as Jasper, had died. But when first responders arrived, they noted the boy’s body was already in an advanced state of decomposition and “had been dead for a significant amount of time,” according to court records reviewed by Law&Crime.
Investigators described grim conditions inside the home. Police reported floors covered in refuse, heavy insect infestation, and what they called “demonstrative of hoarding behavior.” Jasper’s crib contained decomposing material believed to have come from his body.
An autopsy revealed the child was “extremely emaciated and malnourished,” weighing just 14 pounds at the time of his death. Records show Jasper weighed 10 pounds at a doctor’s visit more than a year earlier, when he was two months old. Final autopsy results remain pending.
During interviews, Igou told detectives she had not taken her children to doctors, saying she was “trying to get her bearings as a single mom.” She claimed Jasper had vomited earlier in the day before she changed his diaper and put him to bed. However, police said his diaper was “overflowing” when they found him. When told her son had been dead far longer than she claimed, Igou allegedly asked investigators, “Did I do this?”
Authorities also found no evidence her eight-year-old child was enrolled in school, despite Igou’s claim she was arranging online classes.
Igou is being held at Shelby County Jail on a $2 million bond. She is due back in court November 19.
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