PORTLAND, Ind. — A 27-year-old Portland woman is accused of murdering her 5-year-old son and molesting a 9-year-old girl, according to the Jay County Prosecutor’s Office.
Chelsea L. Crossland faces charges of murder and neglect of a dependent in relation to the death of her son Christian Crossland. She also faces a separate charge of child molesting, a Level 1 felony, in relation to an incident between Crossland and a 9-year-old girl.
According to Indiana State Police, police officers were dispatched to the 600 block of S. Western Avenue in Portland on March 24, at approximately 11:30 p.m., on a call of an unresponsive 5-year-old. The child ended up being declared deceased, leading to an investigation into his death.
Police have not released any details into the investigation, but on Wednesday confirmed Crossland had been arrested in regards to the death of her son. The prosecutor’s office released her charges, which accused Crossland of not only murder but molestation of a separate child.
The investigation was conducted by Indiana State Police with assistance from the Portland Police Department, the Indiana Department of Child Services, the Jay County Coroner’s Office and the Jay County Prosecutor’s Office.
