Indiana law enforcement officials are currently investigating the tragic death of a three-month-old infant, who was discovered deceased inside a sealed container on Sunday morning. The father of the child, 28-year-old Eliasard Moneus, is currently a person of interest in the case, as reported by a local Fox affiliate in Indianapolis. Moneus is currently in custody at Tippecanoe County Jail on charges of domestic violence and attempted murder.
The investigation began when officers from the Lafayette Police Department were called to a local hospital on Saturday afternoon. They were responding to a report of a domestic violence incident involving Moneus and his wife. The wife, who has been married to Moneus for less than a year, claimed that her husband had assaulted her with a tire iron or wrench before absconding with their infant son, Jacob Moneus. She reportedly sustained a fractured skull during the altercation.
Following this report, authorities issued a Silver Alert for Jacob, providing a photograph and description of the child and indicating that he may be in danger. Upon arriving at the Moneus residence, officers discovered evidence of an assault, including blood spatter, but were unable to locate the child.
Moneus was located and apprehended in Indianapolis early Sunday morning. Initially, he claimed ignorance of his son’s whereabouts, but later stated that the child was safe. Moneus also allegedly confessed to striking his wife multiple times with a tool from his vehicle.
A second search of the Moneus residence on Sunday morning led to the grim discovery of Jacob’s body inside an orange bucket with a snap-seal lid. The Tippecanoe County Coroner has preliminarily ruled the cause of death as asphyxia, with the manner of death being homicide. The Silver Alert for Jacob was cancelled shortly after 9 a.m. on Sunday.
As of now, Moneus has not been charged in connection with his son’s death. The investigation is ongoing.