Carmel woman who left baby in toilet gets 4-year sentence - Indianapolis Star

Peterson suffers from bipolar disorder, according to her attorney .

By Katie Merlie
March 28, 2008

NOBLESVILLE -- A Carmel woman will spend one year in Hamilton County Community Corrections for neglect of her now 3-year-old daughter, as part of a four-year sentence.

Kyle C. Peterson, 21, gave birth to the girl on the morning of Feb. 14, 2005, and left her in a toilet. The birth happened in a home in the 14000 block of Admiral Way North Drive in Carmel.

Peterson's mother got into the bathroom that morning, took the newborn out of the toilet and began resuscitation efforts. Peterson, who was an 18-year-old Westfield High School senior at the time, had repeatedly denied allegations from family and friends that she was pregnant.

She was charged with felony attempted murder and neglect of a dependent. She pleaded guilty in December in Hamilton Circuit Court to a lesser felony charge of neglect.

Judge Judith Proffitt sentenced Peterson on Thursday to four years in the Indiana Department of Correction, with three years suspended to be served on probation. Peterson will spend one year in the county's work release program after an evaluation is completed, Proffitt said.

Peterson, who did not make a statement in court Thursday, suffers from bipolar disorder, according to her attorney Robert Hammerle.

He urged Proffitt to take Peterson's condition into consideration when handing down a sentence, and asked for his client to serve only probation.

Hamilton County Prosecutor Sonia Leerkamp said Peterson lied about the pregnancy and about being on birth control.

"She received no prenatal care and had an unattended birth," Leerkamp said. "We're lucky we're here not on a murder case."

The child, who is in the father's custody, is healthy, although she did suffer from seizures in the past, Leerkamp said.
Call Star reporter Katie Merlie at (317) 444-5549.