Deranged Indiana cop forced his 6-year-old daughter to hold ‘I want to kill my brother’ sign in freezing weather as punishment

In a shocking case of child neglect that has drawn national attention, Logansport, Indiana police officer Cody Scott and his wife Kylie have been charged with felony child neglect after allegedly forcing their 6-year-old daughter to stand outside in freezing temperatures holding a disturbing sign as punishment for “pouting” when she wasn’t allowed to wear lip gloss.

The Incident Unfolds

The incident occurred in Logansport, Indiana, where temperatures had plunged to around 18 degrees Fahrenheit. According to multiple reports, the young girl was forced to stand outside in these dangerous conditions after exhibiting what her parents termed as “pouting” behavior when she wasn’t permitted to wear lip gloss.

What made this punishment particularly disturbing was the content of the sign the child was allegedly forced to hold, which read: “I want to stab and Kill my brother, I even take an antipsychotic, If you need to give pity, then give it to the victims.” This shocking and violent message, coupled with the extreme cold, prompted concerned citizens to immediately contact authorities.

Witness Accounts Reveal Multiple Disturbing Signs

According to the newly accessed report from WTHR, witnesses described a deeply troubling pattern of behavior, not just a single incident. One witness reported seeing the young girl holding different signs on multiple occasions, including one that read “I’m a liar”.

“I saw the little girl standing outside in the freezing cold holding a sign. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” said one witness who called 911. “She was just standing there shivering. No coat, no hat, nothing. Just a little girl with a horrible sign.”

Another witness reported seeing the child on a different occasion holding a sign that read “I have no self control” while standing outside the family home. The witness stated, “It wasn’t just once. I saw her out there multiple times with different signs. Sometimes for what seemed like 30 minutes or more. It was heartbreaking.”

A third witness who lives in the neighborhood told investigators they had seen the girl standing outside “at least three separate times” in January, each time holding a different sign with demeaning messages. “The poor child looked terrified and embarrassed. No child should be treated that way,” the witness stated.

Cody Scott’s Statement

When confronted by fellow officers responding to the 911 call, Officer Scott reportedly defended his actions. According to police reports, Scott told responding officers: “It’s just discipline. She needs to learn her lesson.”

In further statements to investigators, Scott reportedly said: “Kids today need discipline. When I was growing up, we got spanked. This is just a modern approach.” His attempts to justify the punishment as appropriate discipline were documented in the official reports.

During questioning, Scott also allegedly stated: “She was only out there for a few minutes. I was watching her from inside. She wasn’t in any danger.” These statements directly contradicted witness accounts that described seeing the child outside for extended periods.

The 911 Call and Police Response

In an ironic twist that has amplified public interest in the case, Officer Cody Scott himself responded to the 911 call reporting his own alleged misconduct. According to the WTHR report, when the 911 dispatcher sent officers to the scene, Scott volunteered to take the call, apparently not realizing it was about his own actions.

The 911 caller described the scene in detail: “There’s a little girl, can’t be more than 6 or 7, standing on the sidewalk holding a sign saying she wants to kill her brother. She’s freezing. No coat. This isn’t right.” The dispatcher then sent officers to the location, with Scott responding to the call.

When other officers arrived and realized Scott was involved, they immediately called in supervisors. One of the responding officers reportedly said to Scott, “You can’t have your daughter outside in this weather holding signs like that. What were you thinking?”

Additional Disturbing Behaviors

Witness statements collected by investigators painted a picture of a pattern of concerning behavior. One neighbor reported hearing Scott yell at the children frequently, with statements like “You’ll stand out there until you learn your lesson” being heard from inside the home.

Another disturbing allegation came from a witness who reported seeing the child being made to do physical exercises outdoors as punishment on a different occasion. “I saw her having to do jumping jacks in the yard while her parents watched from inside. She was crying,” the witness stated.

According to WTHR, the investigation also uncovered text messages between Cody and Kylie Scott discussing various punishments, including having the child stand with signs in public areas “where people will see her.” These messages have been entered as evidence in the case.

Legal Consequences and Employment Status

Following the incident, both Cody Allen Scott, 33, and Kylie Jo Scott, 34, were arrested and charged with two felony counts of neglect of a dependent. The severity of these charges reflects the serious nature of forcing a young child to stand outside in dangerously cold weather while holding what prosecutors have described as an “unnecessarily degrading” sign.

Initially, Scott was placed on administrative leave from the Logansport Police Department. However, in a recent development, the Logansport Board of Public Works and Safety voted unanimously to place Officer Scott on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. This escalation from paid to unpaid leave indicates the seriousness with which the department is treating these allegations.

Both parents have pleaded not guilty to the charges they face. If convicted, they could face significant penalties, including potential incarceration.

Prosecutor’s Statements

Cass County Prosecutor Noah Schafer has been outspoken about the disturbing nature of the punishment. In a statement, Schafer emphasized that forcing the child to hold such a sign was “unnecessarily degrading”.

“This goes beyond typical discipline,” Schafer stated. “Forcing a child to stand outside in freezing temperatures holding signs with violent or demeaning messages isn’t just bad parenting—it’s criminal neglect.”

The prosecutor’s office has highlighted the dual concerns in this case: the physical danger posed by extreme cold exposure and the psychological harm of public humiliation with violent messaging.

Child Welfare Concerns

The case has raised serious questions about the welfare of the children in the Scott household. While specific details about the current custody situation are not fully disclosed in the available reports, it’s known that child welfare authorities have become involved.

According to one source close to the investigation who spoke to WTHR, “The girl told investigators this wasn’t the first time she’d been made to hold signs. She said it happened whenever she ‘was bad’ and that sometimes she had to stand outside for ‘a really long time’ until she stopped crying.”

Child development experts note that public humiliation as punishment can cause lasting psychological harm. The psychological impact of being forced to hold a sign threatening violence against a sibling is particularly concerning to investigators and child welfare professionals involved in the case.

Additional Witness Impact

The witnesses who reported the incident have been praised for their intervention. One witness told WTHR, “I couldn’t just drive by and do nothing. That child was obviously suffering, not just from the cold but from the humiliation. I kept thinking what if that was my child or grandchild?”

Another witness described the emotional impact of seeing the young girl: “Her face is what got me. She looked so defeated and embarrassed. No child should have that look. I had to pull over and call for help right away.”

These witness accounts played a crucial role in bringing the case to light and potentially preventing further harm to the child.

Police Department’s Actions

The Logansport Police Department has taken swift action following the allegations. After initially placing Scott on administrative leave with pay, the Board of Public Works and Safety voted unanimously to change his status to unpaid leave.

A department spokesperson told reporters: “This is not the conduct we expect from our officers, whether on or off duty. We hold our officers to a higher standard and take these allegations extremely seriously.”

Legal Proceedings Moving Forward

The case against Cody and Kylie Scott will now proceed through the legal system. With both defendants having pleaded not guilty, the next steps will likely include pretrial hearings, possible plea negotiations, and potentially a trial if the case is not resolved through a plea agreement.

Evidence collected by investigators includes photographs taken by witnesses, statements from multiple neighbors, text messages between the Scotts, and interviews with the children. According to WTHR, investigators also obtained home security footage that may show some of the incidents.

Community Response

The Logansport community has been shocked by the allegations against a local police officer. Law enforcement officials are generally held to higher standards of conduct, and cases involving their misconduct often receive heightened scrutiny.

“We trusted him to protect our community, and he couldn’t even protect his own daughter from cruel treatment,” said one local resident interviewed by WTHR. “It breaks my heart to think about what that little girl was going through.”

Local support services have used this opportunity to remind community members about available parenting resources and the importance of reporting suspected child abuse or neglect.

Conclusion

As the legal proceedings against Cody and Kylie Scott continue, this case serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of appropriate discipline methods, community vigilance in protecting children, and the special responsibilities held by those in positions of authority.

The alleged punishment – forcing a 6-year-old to stand in freezing temperatures holding signs with disturbing and demeaning messages – represents a troubling intersection of physical endangerment and psychological harm. The outcome of this case will likely influence conversations about parenting, professional standards for law enforcement, and community responsibility in child protection.

For now, Officer Scott remains on unpaid leave as the legal process unfolds, while the community grapples with the disturbing allegations against someone who was sworn to protect and serve.