The children of a Greentown woman awoke Friday morning to a horrifying scene: their mother, Jamie D. Harney, had been brutally beaten.
After finding their mother unconscious and bleeding, the children went to a neighbor’s house and had the neighbor call 911.
Sheriff Marty Talbert said police believe the attack occurred sometime overnight and no suspects have been identified. The children — two elementary-age kids and one preschooler — were not injured.
“She’s in a coma right now in Methodist Hospital,” Talbert said Friday evening. “Her husband returned from an out-of-state business meeting and is with her.”
Howard County sheriff deputies and Greentown police quickly responded to the 7 a.m. call and found the 26-year-old critically injured inside her home at 603 E. Walnut St.
Deputy Craig Trott, who was within a few blocks of the call, and Greentown Marshal Jeff Bennett, arrived on the scene within 4 minutes.
The Greentown Volunteer Fire Department ambulance and paramedics from Howard Regional Health System also responded and transported Harney to Howard Regional. She then was airlifted by Life Line Helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for treatment.
Bennett said attacks like this rarely happen in the small community of 2,500.
“In my 23 years on the force, I’ve never had anything like this,” Bennett said. “The state police and sheriff department have been a big help. Hopefully, we will figure out what’s going on and find this guy.”
Talbert, who has patrolled Greentown as sheriff and when he worked at the state police, said it is shocking to see such a brutal crime in the small town.
“It’s the kind of place where folks might not lock their doors,” he said. “But one thing’s for certain, they will tonight.”
Talbert declined to give out any details of the crime until the investigation progresses.
“The investigation is still in the very early stages,” Talbert said. “We’ll have more information to release as the investigation continues. I can tell you we do not have a call history at this address.”
Detectives from the sheriff department along with Indiana State Police Crime Scene Technician Jason Page were at the home for most of the day collecting evidence.
“Investigators at the scene are going over the home inch-by-inch,” Talbert said. “We’re also trying to reconstruct her actions. It’s important for anybody who had any contact with her Thursday to call us. No matter how insignificant they think the information is, we want to hear from you.”
Authorities are asking anyone with information that might assist investigators to contact the Sheriff Department’s Criminal Investigation Division.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Howard County Sheriff Department Criminal Investigation Division at (765) 456-2031, or the Central Indiana Crimestoppers at (800) 922-5378.
• Mike Fletcher is the Kokomo Tribune crime reporter. He can be reached at (765) 454-8565 or mike.fletcher@kokomotribune.com.
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