Indy couple charged in death of malnourished 2-month-old daughter

An Indianapolis couple has been arrested over the death of their 2-month-old daughter.

William "Tony" Moss and Janet Ringer each face a felony count of neglect of a dependent resulting in death, Marion Superior Court records state. They are accused of failing to provide their daughter, Ruth Ringer, with adequate food or drink.

Ruth died Aug. 21, 2017, of malnutrition and dehydration at her home in the 900 block of West 33rd Street, according to the Marion County coroner's office.

The little girl was found "pale and lifeless," wearing a white onesie, in a bouncer seat on the floor of a sweltering upstairs bedroom, court records state. She appeared "emaciated and frail."

Ringer told officials her daughter had been acting "really weird" earlier in the day and had not been very responsive, according to court records. She also said she noticed blood in Ruth's stool and thought the infant had been having seizures.

The Marion County prosecutor's office said "a medical expert’s review of the medical evidence found no indication that Ruth had any underlying health conditions or reason that she could not have been a healthy infant, if she had been fed." That expert also said "she would expect a reasonable caretaker to have sought care" for Ruth.

Four child welfare workers had visited the 2-month-old's home hours before she died. At least one of those workers expressed concern about the baby's well-being during the Aug. 21 visit, but did not report it to authorities.

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Marianne Teixeira, a Department of Child Services family case manager, received a five-day suspension for failure to follow policy, according to the Indiana State Personnel Department. It is unclear whether anyone else in the home faced disciplinary action.

The child welfare workers were in Ruth's home for a Child and Family Team Meeting about one of the baby's older siblings, who is in foster care, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. Ruth still was in her parents' care.

Moss previously told IndyStar that DCS should not have taken the older child into foster care. He also said he asked the workers — who were in his home on the day Ruth died — if his daughter looked right. He would not elaborate on what that meant.

"It was a heartbroken situation, I will admit," Moss previously told IndyStar. "That was my only daughter."

Carrie Upchurch, whose adoptive daughter is believed to be Ruth's sister, previously told IndyStar she had called DCS on three separate occasions to report concerns about the baby's safety.

She said she was concerned because of Moss' criminal history and because he seemed to not have the resources to care for the baby. Moss pleaded guilty in 1999 to felony child molesting, according to Marion Superior Court records.

Upchurch told IndyStar she called the DCS hotline the first time shortly after Ruth's birth on June 10, 2017. She said she also called a week later to reiterate her concerns, and a third time about a month later.

After Ruth's death in August, Upchurch filed a complaint with the DCS Ombudsman Bureau — a separate agency that receives, investigates and attempts to resolve complaints over DCS actions. In it, Upchurch said she referenced her prior reports to DCS and concerns about what happened the day Ruth died.

Alfreda Singleton-Smith, director of the DCS Ombudsman Bureau, concluded DCS "failed to follow laws, rules and written policies as they pertain to the completion of assessments involving the child in question," according to a letter obtained by IndyStar. Singleton-Smith also determined the state agency failed to address certain factors before unsubstantiating and closing the DCS assessment before Ruth's death.

And she concluded that "DCS staff failed to report or follow up on other verbal concerns regarding the child through the appropriate available channels," according to the letter.

"There is nothing more heartbreaking than the death of a child, and we at the Indiana Department of Child Services mourn Ruth’s loss along with our community," DCS spokeswoman Noelle Russell said Thursday in a statement. "State confidentiality laws prohibit DCS from commenting on the specifics of any case. DCS strives to protect the most vulnerable among us, and we will continue to work tirelessly to keep Hoosier children safe."

Call IndyStar reporter Marisa Kwiatkowski at (317) 444-6135. Follow her on Twitter: @IndyMarisaK.