Missing baby Mercedes Lain found dead Wednesday night in Starke County, police say

PLYMOUTH — The body of Mercedes Lain, the 11-month-old from Plymouth who was reported missing Sunday, was found Wednesday evening in a densely forested area in Starke County. 

The news was announced Thursday morning at a press conference at the Marshall County Sheriff's Department.

Police have said the baby had last been seen Saturday in Mishawaka with Justin Miller, a family friend who was babysitting her. After initially giving police conflicting narratives and admitting to using synthetic marijuana, Miller led investigators to Mercedes' body.

He is being charged with neglect of a dependent causing death, said Marshall County Prosecutor Nelson Chipman.

"After several times being interviewed, Justin Miller led officers to this location in Starke County," Chipman said Thursday. "It was secured as a crime scene and waited for crime scene investigators to arrive and process the scene. It was several hours before Mercedes' body was removed from the area."

Both of Mercedes' parents, Kenny Lain and Tiffany Coburn, were also arrested earlier this week and are being charged with child neglect. Chipman said "there's no evidence whatsoever" to indicate Lain or Coburn knew where Mercedes was or that she was dead.

EARLIER:Mercedes Lain still missing; parents of Plymouth 11-month-old arrested for neglect

On  Aug. 12, Mercedes was with Miller at a motel on the northern edge of Plymouth, police said. Lain gave Mercedes to Miller to babysit "so the parents could have a break," court documents said.

Lain contacted Plymouth police on Sunday afternoon to file a missing person report for his daughter. A Silver Alert was issued that night and the search for Mercedes began.

Police arrested Miller early Monday morning in Starke County. Police also arrested Lain and Coburn later that day.

Miller initially told police he took Mercedes while he stayed with a friend in Starke County and that he also visited his girlfriend in Mishawaka, but was kicked out and dropped the baby off with a woman at the motel back in Plymouth. 

Miller's friend in Starke County said Miller came on Aug. 13 with the baby and left, before returning on Aug. 15 without Mercedes, court documents say. 

On Wednesday, Miller finally told police that he woke up to find Mercedes dead in a house in Mishawaka at some point on Saturday. He then led investigators to the area in Starke County, near the intersection of County Road 1025 East and 15 North, where he disposed of the infant's body. 

Initial evidence indicates Miller left Mercedes' body in the woods on Saturday, though Chipman said investigators are still working to determine the time and location of her death through an autopsy. Chipman declined to say how Mercedes died and when asked why Miller was charged with neglect of a dependent and not murder, he said he's waiting for the autopsy to be completed before potentially amending the charges.

Miller admitted to using synthetic marijuana "on numerous occasions" while he had Mercedes, court documents say. Coburn also admitted to taking methamphetamine several times and Lain was under the influence of "an unknown substance," when he was arrested. 

When asked if any of the three could face additional drug charges, Chipman responded "That's the least of their worries."

If convicted, Miller faces between 20 and 40 years in prison while Lain and Coburn could be sentenced to up to two and a half years in jail. 

Lain and Coburn pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine in 2018 and each were sentenced to one year in prison. Court records show Miller has multiple convictions for offenses related to methamphetamine. 

In 2016, Lain also pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent in a situation that endangers the dependent and was given one year in prison.

Law enforcement officials, including an FBI Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team and Indiana State Police, as well as Marshall County deputies and Plymouth police officers, were involved in the search. 

Plymouth Police Chief David Bacon thanked the community for its help, despite the tragic outcome of the case.

"The community's been very helpful. It's what we look for, we need that cooperation to get information from them," Bacon said. "We've had that outpouring of support in trying to find Mercedes."

Email Marek Mazurek at mmazurek@sbtinfo.com. Follow him on Twitter: @marek_mazurek