Two people in northwest Indiana were arrested after bone fragments were found in a residence’s backyard during an investigation into the possible murder of two undocumented children.
Steven Valle, 31, and Samantha Sebella, 25, were charged with murder, neglect of a dependent causing death, abuse of a corpse, obstruction of justice and failure to report a dead body, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department said Friday.
Warning: What follows may be disturbing to some readers.
According to police, a call was received on Sept. 20 after an individual allegedly confessed to acquaintances about killing two undocumented children and burning their bodies in the backyard of their residence in Wheatfield.
Multiple agencies, including the Jasper County Coroner’s Office and the Indiana State Police, assisted the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation, which is centered around a property in the 4200 block of Old Orchard Lane.
Detectives immediately launched an investigation, and interviewed multiple individuals at a Newton County hotel, seizing their cell phones.
Detectives located additional evidence on the mobile devices, and a child that was in the care of the individuals was placed into protective custody.
Officials then launched a widescale search on a property in Wheatfield, locating three separate locations on the property where partial bone fragments were found, according to authorities. Those bone fragments were placed in the custody of a specialist in Indianapolis, who is working to determine if they were from an infant or an animal, according to officials.