An Indiana mother and her 5-month-old son were found in a parked SUV on the west side of South Bend Tuesday evening. The woman was dead, while the infant was found alive and unharmed, according to the South Bend Police Department.
Alexis Morales, 27, and her son, Messiah Morales, were last seen leaving a gathering at Kelly Park in South Bend on April 12, WNDU reported. She was seen driving away from the park in a silver 2006 BMW X5 SUV, the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office said.
Morales’ body and baby Messiah were found 10 minutes away from the park, per WBND.
Her family members reported them missing on April 18, the same day the Silver Alert was issued, the Charlotte Observer reported. In Indiana, law enforcement uses the silver alert for missing and endangered adults and children. However, it is most common for missing people, and “there must be enough descriptive information to believe the broadcast will help.”
“Posts circulating on social media that suggest our department was aware of the vehicle’s location prior to the discovery of Alexis and Messiah on Tuesday evening are untrue,” police said.
“Tough every time we have to deal with situations like … tears your heart out, it really does,” South Bend Police Capt. Joe Leszczynski told the outlet.
While police do not know how Alexis may have died, an autopsy is scheduled for Friday, April 22, according to a Facebook post from the South Bend Police Department.
Police transported baby Messiah to a local hospital where he was in “stable condition” with family members while authorities looked into the 27-year-old’s whereabouts leading to her disappearance.
The South Bend Police Department has partnered with the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office in investigating Morales’ death.
Anyone with information can call the South Bend Police Department Detective Bureau at 574-235-9263 or Michiana Crime Stoppers at 574-288-7867.
