Police Arrest Hernsley Pierre as Father of Newborn Found Abandoned on Indianapolis Trail
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has arrested Hernsley Pierre, a 21-year-old man believed to be the father of a newborn baby girl discovered abandoned on an east side walking trail. The infant was found in a tree line near the intersection of Lace Bark Lane and Long Wharf Drive on July 24. Hernsley Pierre faces charges of sexual misconduct with a minor. While the 16-year-old mother, who was found after a community tip, identified Pierre as the father, Pierre claimed the baby was not his. He stated he was unaware of the pregnancy until the teen called him from the hospital. The baby remains in stable condition at Riley Hospital for Children. The discovery highlights the importance of Safe Haven laws, which allow parents to anonymously surrender infants without fear of prosecution. Advocates suggest that public awareness of these laws can prevent mothers in crisis from feeling forced to leave their children in the wooded areas of the city.