Indiana Father Arrested After Frostbitten Toddler Found Wandering Alone in Snow Wearing Only a Diaper
GREENFIELD, INDIANA — An Indiana man has been arrested after police say his 2-year-old child was found wandering alone in the snow, wearing only a diaper, on a day when temperatures hovered around 13 degrees. Authorities say the toddler was suffering from hypothermia and frostbite and had been walking through the freezing conditions for an extended distance before a neighbor intervened.
The suspect, Logan Nickolas, 20, has been charged with two counts of neglect of a dependent, including neglect resulting in bodily injury and neglect that placed a dependent in a dangerous situation, according to the Greenfield Police Department.
Toddler Found Crying Alone in Freezing Conditions
The incident unfolded Monday afternoon around 3 p.m. at Prairie Meadows Apartment Homes in Greenfield, a small city east of Indianapolis. Police were dispatched after a resident reported hearing a child crying outside in the snow.
According to court documents, the woman who called police went outside to investigate and discovered a 2-year-old child standing alone in the snow, barely clothed, with skin described as deep red and beet-colored from the cold exposure.
The temperature at the time was approximately 13 degrees Fahrenheit, making the situation immediately life-threatening.
Officers Rush Child to Safety
Responding officers quickly located the toddler outside one of the apartment buildings. Police say one officer wrapped the child in his coat and placed the toddler inside a warm patrol vehicle until emergency medical personnel arrived.
Investigators noted that the child had been exposed to the elements for more than just a brief moment.
“Officers found footprints in the snow around the complex where the toddler was located,” police said, indicating the child had been walking outside for some time.
Those footprints stretched approximately 750 feet, leading officers directly to an apartment unit on Switch Grass Drive.
Open Door Leads Police to Sleeping Father
When officers reached the apartment linked to the footprints, they found the front door open. Police announced themselves multiple times but received no response.
Officers then entered the apartment and discovered Logan Nickolas, the child’s father, asleep on the couch, according to police.
After several loud attempts to wake him, Nickolas eventually responded and acknowledged that the child belonged to him and should have been inside the apartment.
Conditions Inside the Apartment Raise Concerns
Police documented several concerning observations inside the home. Officers reported a strong odor of burnt marijuana inside the apartment.
At the top of the stairs, a baby gate was installed but left unlatched, police said. Investigators also reported seeing a handgun sitting on a countertop, near a plate with a cut straw, which officers believed to be drug paraphernalia.
Nickolas told police he had not used drugs and claimed he had simply “dozed off” due to working late hours the night before.
Mother Disputes Father’s Account
The child’s mother, who was at work during the incident, told police a very different story. According to the charging documents, she said Nickolas had recently been using marijuana, cocaine, and other drugs.
She told investigators she had been allowing the child’s father to stay at her apartment on and off for about a week, but said she had repeatedly tried to contact him by phone on the day of the incident and received no response.
Her inability to reach him, combined with what police later discovered, raised serious concerns about the child’s supervision and safety.
Child Suffers Hypothermia and Frostbite
When emergency medical services arrived, responders determined the toddler was suffering from severe hypothermia and frostbite affecting the fingers and toes.
The child was transported to a nearby hospital, where police said the toddler was treated and later listed in stable condition.
Authorities have not released further updates on the child’s long-term prognosis, but emphasized that the situation could have been fatal without intervention.
Neighbor Describes Disturbing Discovery
Another resident of the apartment complex spoke publicly about the moment she realized something was terribly wrong.
“I saw him,” the woman said. “No pants, no shoes — just a diaper. If I can’t feel my fingers or my toes, I know that baby can’t either.”
She said she immediately asked a neighbor to call 911.
“That baby should have never been out there without clothes,” she added. “I don’t even know if the baby had eaten. That’s my biggest concern — being out there in the cold and ice.”
Charges Filed, Investigation Ongoing
Nickolas was taken into custody and formally charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury and neglect of a dependent by endangerment. Court records show he remains in custody as the case proceeds.
Police have not indicated whether additional charges could be filed pending further investigation or toxicology testing.
A Stark Warning About Cold-Weather Safety
Authorities stressed that extreme cold temperatures can become deadly within minutes, especially for young children who lack the ability to seek shelter or dress themselves.
Greenfield police said the case underscores the importance of constant supervision, particularly during winter weather, and praised the quick actions of neighbors who called for help.
As the legal process moves forward, the child remains under medical care and protective supervision, while investigators work to determine the full circumstances that led to the dangerous ordeal.
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