MUNCIE, Ind. — Two young children were removed from their mother’s care after Muncie police officers discovered the children had been living in a minivan behind a strip mall and were sickly, shoeless and playing with a shaving razor handle and a tampon applicator in place of toys.
According to the Muncie Police Department, the children’s mother — identified as Summer N. Dixon — originally lied to police about her identity due to knowing she had an active warrant for her arrest. While searching the minivan, police found a pill bottle with 8.1 grams of suspected meth.
Dixon was taken into custody on preliminary charges of possession of methamphetamine and neglect of a dependent, both Level 6 felonies. She also could face a misdemeanor charge of false identifying.
Court records show Dixon was wanted on criminal misdemeanor charges of conversion and possession. She was also charged with three counts of neglect of a dependent in February of 2021, but court records show all three of the charges were dismissed in June.
Court documents reveal that an anonymous tip led police to the minivan located behind a Jimmy Johns and Chinese restaurant on W. Bethel Avenue on Friday afternoon. The caller told police that Nixon had been living out of the van with two young children for the past five days.
Police noted that the condition of the interior of the van indicated that the woman had been living out of the van for some time. Dixon reportedly lied to officers about her identity and claimed the van broke down and she was just waiting for someone to come get her children.
The children, both under the age of 4, were found to be shoeless and sockless. Police said the children were dirty and appeared sick, with runny noses and a severe cough. An officer reportedly let the children watch videos on his cellphone in order to help keep them calm until the Department of Child Services arrived on scene.
Dixon was transported to the Delaware County Jail and the children were taken into the custody of DCS.
The van was towed due to being illegally parked, court documents detail.
The Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office will decide what, if any, official charges will be filed against Dixon.
