Trafficking: Indiana UPDATED

The Star reports that “Michael S. Overby, 57; Debbie J. Overby, 50; Rose Faucett, 36; and Phillip A. Hester, 58, were arrested Friday on a preliminary charge of child-selling. They are scheduled for a hearing Wednesday in Marion Superior Court.

According to an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department report, Faucett and Hester agreed to sell their newborn daughter to Michael Overby and his sister-in-law Debbie Overby for $300. Michael Overby is a convicted child molester, and Debbie Overby has been convicted of felony child neglect, police said.”

CBS WISH TV states “IMPD is also investigating a possibly related incident. According to an IMPD report, two of the suspects may have been paying a man $100 to $200 per month to allow them to raise his child as their own.”

Fox 59 live news indicated that the child from the related incident is a boy, aged 5, from Alabama.

Fox 59 reports that “[a]ccording to police records, Michael Overby even signed a paternity affidavit at Wishard Hospital claiming to be the baby’s biological father.  Investigators say Phillip Hester, who is also alleged to be in on the plot, is likely the real father.  DNA tests are pending.

Michael Overby has an extensive criminal past that includes a child molestation conviction in 1984.  He served about two of a four year prison sentence.”

“Debbie is the only suspect out of the four to post bail.  All face charges of neglecting a dependent and child selling. Police say more charges could come.”

Indianapolis police say four people took part in a scheme to sell a woman’s baby to a convicted child molester and his sister-in-law.
[Indianapolis Star 4/12/11]

IMPD arrests 4 in child selling case
[CBS WISH TV 4/12/11]

Convicted child molester among those accused in baby buying scheme
[Fox 59 4/11/11 by Edward Moody]

Fox 59 10 PM News 4/11/11 live broadcast

Update: On Wednesday April 13, “Michael Overby, 57, was charged with felony forgery and conspiracy to commit child selling. He was being held in the Marion County Jail on $80,000 bond.

Rose Faucett, 36, was charged with conspiracy to commit forgery and conspiracy to commit child selling and was being held on $5,000 bond.

Phillip Hester, 58, was charged with conspiracy to commit child selling and was being held on $5,000 bond.

And Debbie Overly, 50, who is out of jail and was represented by a private attorney, was charged with conspiracy to commit child selling.” Debbie is not actually married to Michael.

The baby girl was born on April 2.

In addition to the $300 payment for the child, “[p]art of the arrangement was also to allow Faucett to stay with the Overbys until mid May.”

Fox59 says “Police are also investigating another, possibly related incident. According to a police report, two of the suspects may have been paying a man in Alabam [sic] to raise his daughter.” A previous live report said the child was a 5 year old boy.

A May 4, 2011 pretrial hearing has been set. A June 20, 2011 trial date has been set.

No story mentions the current whereabouts of the newborn baby girl.

Four charged with conspiracy in baby-selling case
[The Indianapolis Star 4/13/11 by John Tuohy]

Suspects in baby selling case officially charged
[Fox59 4/13/11]

Update 2: More details emerge about the children and the Overby’s.This almost needs an organizational chart of characters.

Debbie Overby is the sister-in-law to Michael Overby. Her husband Danny, who is dead, was Michael’s brother.

Confirmation on gender and age of one of the children being raised by the Overby’s: The girl is 4 years old. “Debbie Overby and her brother-in-law Michael Overby exchanged an old pickup truck for the girl, Emily Rose Lloyd, 2 1/2 years ago, authorities said Wednesday.” Since then “the Overbys paid David and Rebecca Lloyd, of Alabama, $100 to $200 a month to let them keep Emily.” Yes, you read that right. The Overbys paid the Lloyds to keep the child.  The Lloyds used to live one block away from the Overbys but moved “out of state a few years ago to find work. The Lloyds “have three or four other kids” and would visit Emily once or twice a year and sometimes bring her back to Alabama.

At least one other child lived in the home: Debbie’s daughter, Patricia, was killed by her boyfriend in 2006. Patricia’s son was legally adopted by Debbie and Danny (now deceased) nine years ago. The boy is now 11 years old.

The whereabouts of the 3 children now: “The Lloyds took Emily back to Alabama last week, police said. The 11-year-old adopted boy is in the custody of an in-law, and Anna Marie[the newborn girl] is in the custody of the Indiana Department of Child Services.”

Specifics of Debbie’s conviction: “The Overbys by law could not have adopted Anna Marie because both have criminal records. Michael Overby was convicted of child molesting in 1984 and sentenced to four years in prison. Debbie Overby was convicted in 2009 of child neglect.”

Additionally, “Debbie Overby lives on $2,400 a month from her deceased husband’s Social Security benefits. Half goes to her, and half goes to the 11-year-old adopted son.”

“Police have been called to the Overby home at least twice to investigate reports of unsanitary living conditions, and reports have described it as “deplorable.”

“It isn’t fit for a hamster to live in,” Carlyle said, “much less a child.”

Further investigation: “Marion County Deputy Prosecutor Mary Hutchison said the discovery [of Emily] could signal a history of child brokering.

“The investigators will be looking into every piece of information or tip they get to see if there is anything else there,” Hutchison said. “This is an ongoing investigation. It’s difficult to know what to expect. We have never seen a case quite like this in our office.”

Hutchison said charges could be filed as early as next week against the Overbys for keeping Emily.”

CPS: for leaving children in the home with a child molester in 2009.  for not investigating Emily’s circumstances in 2009. for leaving the kids in the deplorable house that was not “fit for hamsters”.

Claim: Pair traded truck for 2nd child

[Indianapolis Star 4/14/11 by John Tuohy]

Update 3: “The couple accused of trying to buy a newborn for $300 have entered guilty pleas, according to court officials.

Michael Overby, 57, and Debbie Overby, 50, were facing charges in connection with a plan to buy a baby born to Phillip Hester, 58, and Rose Faucett, 36, police said. All four people were arrested in early April.

According to court documents, Faucett was pregnant when she met the Overbys. She told police that Debbie Overby offered to adobt[sic] her baby, but couldn’t officially do so due to an earlier felony conviction. So, Faucett said, Debbie Overby offered her $300 to give the baby to the Overbys.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police said Michael Overby signed a paternity affidavit falsely stating he was the biological father of the child. Hester, the actual biological father of the child, told police he went along with the plan because he “did not want anything to do with the child.”

Debbie Overby was on probation at the time, stemming from a conviction for neglect of a dependent. Michael Overby is a convicted sex offender.

Hester and Faucett have pretrial hearing set for Aug. 24 and jury trials scheduled to start Aug. 29.”

Two plead guilty in baby buying scheme
[WISH TV 8/3/11]

“Michael Overby would serve four years in prison and two years probation if the plea is approved. Debbie Overby would serve two years in prison and one year’s probation, according to Deputy Marion County Prosecutor Mary Hutchinson.

Investigators said the Overbys agreed to pay a homeless woman, Rose Faucett, 37, about $300 for her daughter, Anna Marie Rose Overby. Faucett gave birth to the girl April 2 at Wishard Memorial Hospital. ”

Marion Co. couple to plead guilty on buying baby attempt
[The Indianapolis Star 8/4/11 by John Tuohy]

“Fox59 News spoke with Aleisha Ham, Debbie Overby’s granddaughter, who claims Overby just wanted to make sure Faucett and her child had a place to stay. However, Ham also said her grandmother had planned to keep the baby.”

“Prosecutors say the newborn is now in the care of the state. The group has been issued a no-contact order with her.”
Officials: Couple accused of trying to buy newborn have entered guilty pleas
[Fox 59 8/4/11]

Update 4: Michael Overby was sentenced last week to “six years for conspiracy to commit child-selling and forgery.”

Debbie “pleaded guilty Friday in Marion Superior Court to conspiracy to commit child-selling and was sentenced to three years in prison.

Debbie Overby, 50, will serve two years on home detention and one on probation, said Brienne Delaney, a spokeswoman for the Marion County prosecutor’s office. She will serve an additional year on home detention for violating probation in a prior child neglect case.”

Woman is sentenced in child-selling
[The Indianapolis Star 9/17/11]

“Prosecutors said she and her brother-in-law allowed a pregnant, homeless woman to live with her.

When the baby was born, Overby offered to buy the child.Police became aware of the plot through an anonymous tip.As part of her sentence, Overby must submit to a mental health evaluation.”
Woman Sentenced In Baby Selling Case
[WRTV6 9/16/11]

“Rose Faucett, has a hearing set on Oct. 28, according to court records.

Charges against the biological father of the child, Phillip Hester, have been dismissed.”

Women gets house arrest for baby buying scheme
[WISH TV 9/16/11]

No further information about the other children, the 11-year-old boy or Emily. Have these children been examined? Was there an investigation into any crimes committed upon them?

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