UPDATE:
PC reveals new details in Anderson mother's murder
Geraldine Jones
JEREMY BRILLIANT
PUBLISHED: 04/20/15 04:00 PM EDT.UPDATED: 04/14/16 07:59 PM EDT.
MADISON COUNTY
Madison County prosecutors are charging a woman with murder, confinement and kidnapping in connection with the death of Samantha Fleming and the kidnapping of her infant daughter. Prosecutors charged Geraldine Jones, 36, in the case.
Jones is currently in Texas being treated for mental health issues. Anderson Police expect Jones to be brought to Indiana by the end of the month.
"It's an absolutely bizarre case. And I think it's a tragedy in every sense of the word," said Anderson Police Sargent Chad Boynton.
Fleming was found stabbed to death in a Gary apartment a week after she went missing with her daughter. Police say all evidence points to Jones intending to raise Samantha Fleming's daughter, Serenity, as her own child.
The probable causes reveals new details in the case, including Jones creating a fully furnished nursery in her home and having a baby shower after telling family and friends she was pregnant with twins.
According to the probable cause, the incident began April 4 when Fleming's mother received a blocked call supposedly from the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS). The caller asked her for Fleming's phone number and address.
Police later tracked that call to Jones' phone.
Jones showed up at Fleming's door two days later, posing as a DCS employee dressed in professional attire and lured Fleming to Gary on the pretense that she needed to attend a court hearing.
According to the probable cause, Geraldine told Fleming "it was a surprise inspection," and convinced Fleming to bring the baby by saying it would "look better" if she took the baby with her in court.
"It's particularly concerning that the suspect in this case used the guise of a state department that's dedicated to the health and welfare and safe being of children to lure Samantha and Serenity away from her home," said Boynton.
"Based on information we've received, this is not an employee or former employee of the agency," said James Wide, a spokesman for the Indiana Department of Child Services.
Wide said case workers would never come to a residence without prior coordination. He said if a parent is in doubt, ask for identification.
"All of our workers carry a state-issued identification - says State of Indiana, says DCS, has their picture on it and if that is not seen, definitely call the police," said Wide.
One of Jones' neighbors said Jones claimed to be pregnant with twins, and said she was due last month. Jones claimed to have lost one of the twins.
During the 10 days that Fleming was missing, her family kept receiving text messages but they knew, based on the writing style, that it couldn't be Samantha.
Anderson Police said when their search for Fleming led them to a Gary house where they ultimately found Fleming's body, a woman answered the door holding a baby and told investigators the baby belonged to her sister who had gone to Texas the week before. That baby was little Serenity, Fleming's daughter.
The probable cause indicates police smelled something strange when they went into the house. They found a large tub inside a closet and inside that tub, they found Fleming's body inside a garbage bag that had been tied shut and duct-taped.
The document indicates Fleming had at least 10 stab wounds to her back, front, arms and hands.
Witnesses recalled to police a description of the suspect's car, and it matched Geraldine's. They said it had a nurse's license plate.
Police issued an arrest warrant for Jones Saturday, but she's still in a Texas hospital. Her family says she has attempted suicide since being there.
Gary and Anderson are on their way to Texas to bring Jones back to Indiana, which could happen any day.
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Originally Posted by blighted star
