PORTLAND, Ind. — Court documents reveal a mother accused of the murder of her 5-year-old son “punished” the boy by withholding food for days at a time. The mother also reportedly admitted to the child’s father that she “wished (their son) were dead.”
Chelsea Crossland, 27, of Portland faces charges of murder and neglect of a dependent in relation to the death of her son Christian Crossland. She also faces a separate charge of child molesting, a Level 1 felony, in relation to an incident between Crossland and a 9-year-old girl.
According to newly obtained court documents, police were called to Crossland’s home in the 600 block of S. Western Avenue on March 24 after Crossland reported her son had fallen and become unresponsive. On scene, investigators noted that Christian was severely malnourished and had numerous bruises and contusions on his body as well as injuries to his face.
The boy was only wearing a diaper, according to the report, and the home was found to be in an unkempt and filthy state.
An autopsy was conducted on the deceased child which revealed Christian’s cause of death as complications from blunt force trauma to his head and oral cavity. The autopsy further found that Christian was emaciated and had numerous abrasions. Evidence was also uncovered that the child had “failed to thrive” and that he was malnourished and dehydrated.
According to the court documents, police spoke with Christian’s older sister who told investigators that her mother had “beaten, spanked and choked” the boy with her hands and other objects. She also told police her mother would “punish” the boy by withholding food for “days at a time.”
According to the documents, Crossland is accused of not immediately calling for emergency services and instead discussed disposing of Christian’s body.
Police spoke to Christian’s father, according to the court findings, where he reportedly revealed that Crossland previously had expressed wishing that Christian was dead.
In the course of the investigation, police also uncovered testimony where a 9-year-old girl told police that Crossland had sexually abused her from the ages of 7 to 9.
Crossland was arrested on March 30.
The investigation into Crossland was conducted by Indiana State Police with assistance from the Portland Police Department, the Indiana Department of Child Services, the Jay County Coroner’s Office and the Jay County Prosecutor’s Office.
