A Madison County judge on Monday sentenced Nicolas Arnett to 40 years and Shelby Langford to 38 years in prison for the neglect death of their 17-month-old daughter, closing a two-year case that began when the child reached a hospital at 10 months old with a 90.8-degree body temperature and signs of an older spinal fracture, authorities said.
Prosecutors said the sentences capped a Level 1 felony conviction for neglect of a dependent resulting in catastrophic injury or death. A jury found both parents guilty on Dec. 5, 2025, after a four-day trial. The judge said the terms would be served in the Indiana Department of Correction. The Madison County Prosecutor’s Office called the outcome a measure of accountability in a file that moved from emergency medicine to homicide within months, after the toddler—identified by family as Kamryn—died in September 2024. Investigators said the couple offered shifting explanations while medical specialists documented trauma inconsistent with accidental injury.
According to court records, the case started on Dec. 5, 2023, when Arnett and Langford called 911 and reported that their 10-month-old was struggling to breathe. At the hospital, doctors noted bruises in different stages of healing, extremely high blood sugar and profound hypothermia, listing the child’s body temperature at 90.8 degrees Fahrenheit. Staff alerted police and child welfare officials, who transferred the infant to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. A treating physician later told investigators he found evidence of an old fracture on the baby’s spine. Detectives documented conflicting accounts from the parents about what might have caused the injuries.
In interviews, the couple suggested the baby’s condition stemmed from a recent illness, possible anemia or rough play with a 3-year-old sibling. They also cited a family scuffle they claimed had led to a relative falling onto the child. “The stories didn’t line up with the injuries,” a detective testified during trial, according to a summary read in court. The Department of Child Services conveyed to police that the harm appeared “traumatic” rather than accidental. Arnett and Langford were arrested in March 2024 on neglect counts as medical teams continued to track the child’s condition. The girl died that September at 17 months, and prosecutors reworked the case to reflect her death and the severity of the injuries cataloged in records.
At trial, jurors heard from emergency physicians, pediatric specialists and forensic caregivers who walked through imaging, temperature logs and lab results. A pediatrician explained how a very low core temperature in a small child can signal prolonged exposure or systemic failure that demands immediate intervention. Another doctor described indicators of an older spinal injury that would have limited the child’s movement and would not match brief, low-impact incidents. Evidence also included photographs of bruising patterns and notes on seizure activity; the child had a stroke and four seizures during treatment, according to testimony recounted in court filings. Prosecutors argued that the total picture — injuries at different healing stages plus the child’s condition on arrival — supported neglect at a catastrophic level.
Defense attorneys emphasized that neither parent was charged with an intentional killing and argued that complex medical issues and caregiving stress could explain timelines or gaps in memory. They pressed witnesses on the precision of time stamps for temperature readings and on whether an older injury could stem from an accidental fall weeks earlier. Jurors also heard from relatives who said the parents were grieving another infant loss in 2021 and that Langford treated the baby carefully. In closing, prosecutors countered that repeated shifting accounts and the medical record left no reasonable doubt about neglect.
Monday’s sentencing took place in Madison County Circuit Court 1 before Judge Angela Warner Sims. The prosecutor’s office said Deputy Prosecutors Jennifer Haley and Samantha Green tried the case, and Anderson Police Detective Matt Kopp led the investigation. The judge cited aggravating factors, including the victim’s age and vulnerability, in imposing the maximum term on Arnett and a near-maximum term on Langford. The courtroom remained quiet as the clerk read the totals: 40 years for Arnett, 38 for Langford. Each was given credit for time served since arrest, with the remainder to be executed in state prison.
Outside the courtroom, officials said the case underscored how pediatric findings shape criminal files that begin in emergency rooms. Hospitals flagged the temperature and glucose readings early, prompting a wider inquiry that moved quickly from medical stabilization to cause analysis. Investigators said they built a timeline from the first 911 call through transfers and specialist consults, then paired those records with home interviews and agency notes. The state’s child fatality review protocols require parallel documentation by medical, law enforcement and social-service partners, which later became exhibits at trial.
Court files show the parents were arrested in March 2024, months before the child’s death, and remained under restrictions as the investigation continued. After the September 2024 death, prosecutors prepared for a Level 1 felony trial, which began late in 2025 and ended with guilty verdicts for both. In pre-sentencing submissions, the state urged long terms, citing expert testimony and the child’s suffering. Defense filings asked for leniency, pointing to the parents’ ages and lack of prior violent records. The judge issued the decision after reviewing the record and hearing statements from each side.
The prosecutor’s office said it does not expect additional defendants and that the case file, including medical reports, photographs and interview transcripts, would be archived following appeal deadlines. Officials credited first responders and the hospital team for early documentation that preserved critical facts. “This was a difficult, emotional case for everyone involved,” a deputy prosecutor said in court, adding that the outcome reflected the jury’s findings and the gravity of the evidence.
As of late Monday, both defendants were in custody awaiting transport to the Indiana Department of Correction. Appeals must be filed on a set schedule, and any post-conviction challenges would be handled by separate courts. The prosecutor’s office said it would notify the court if victim-impact updates arrive or if new information changes supervision terms after release dates are calculated.
With sentencing complete, authorities said there were no further hearings on the calendar beyond routine post-judgment filings. The case now enters the appeals stage, where records are compiled and transcripts prepared for review.
Author note: Last updated January 13, 2026.