Shaylynn Ammerman

SPENCER — Indiana State Police say they have found a body that they believe is the body of Shaylyn Ammerman. ISP said the body matched the description of the missing one-year-old.

“It’s a sad day in this community, sad day for the state of Indiana,” said ISP Sgt. Curt Durnil.

Police said the body was found just after 6 p.m. near the White River, just northeast of Gosport. 22-year-old Kyle Parker, Spencer, has been taken into custody in the case. According to jail records, Parker faces preliminary charges, including two counts of obstruction of justice, unlawful disposition of a dead body and failure to report a dead body.

“He’s been arrested, we don’t know what his actual role was right now. But we will find out, and if there were others involved, those people will be brought in as well,” said Durnil.

Investigators worked late into the night to process the scene were the body was found.

“The thing that holds the community together is knowing that our little girl is safe with God now,” said Owen County Sheriff Sam Hobbs.

“This case is just getting started,” Durnil said, stating that more interviews are going to take place.

Kyle Parker (Photo Provided/Owen County Jail)

An autopsy is scheduled for Friday, March 25.

“There is a tremendous amount of work to do,” said ISP Superintendent Doug Carter. “There are a lot more long days and lots of hours coming to this in order to help this community heal.”

Police had been searching for Shaylyn since Wednesday morning. When she went missing she was in the care of her grandmother and father Tuesday in their Spencer home.

Tamera Sue Morgan, Shaylyn’s grandmother, told police she put her to bed and last checked on her around midnight Tuesday, March 22, in a home in the 400 block of West Jefferson.

Earlier in the day on Thursday, March 24, ISP said seven to 10 people were questioned and were scheduled to take polygraphs.

Justin Ammerman, Shaylyn’s dad, said he believed that someone is holding a grudge against the family. He also said he believes someone came through an unlocked door and took Shaylyn out of her crib.

Multiple law agencies assisted in the searched, including ISP, the Spencer Police Department, the Owen County Sheriff’s Office, DNR and the FBI.

Source: WISH