Indiana authorities are currently probing the tragic demise of a three-month-old baby boy, found lifeless inside a sealed container on a Sunday morning. The infant’s father, Eliasard Moneus, 28, is a key figure in the investigation, according to local news sources in Indianapolis. Moneus is presently detained at the Tippecanoe County Jail, facing charges of domestic violence and attempted murder.
The investigation was initiated when Lafayette Police Department officers responded to a call from a local hospital on a Saturday afternoon. The call was regarding a domestic violence incident involving Moneus and his wife. The wife, who has been wedded to Moneus for less than a year, alleged that her husband had attacked her with a tire iron or wrench before fleeing with their infant son, Jacob Moneus. She reportedly suffered a fractured skull during the dispute.
In response to this report, authorities issued a Silver Alert for Jacob, providing a photograph and description of the child and suggesting that he might be in danger. Upon reaching the Moneus residence, officers found signs of an assault, including blood spatter, but were unable to locate the child.
Moneus was found and arrested in Indianapolis early on Sunday morning. Initially, he claimed to have no knowledge of his son’s location, but later stated that the child was safe. Moneus also allegedly admitted to hitting 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.