Children safe after woman flees from crash Tuesday

Deanna Ferguson

Three children were found safe Tuesday evening after the woman with whom they were traveling fled a crash scene in eastern Putnam County.

The woman, 27-year-old Deanna L. Ferguson of Terre Haute, was placed in the Putnam County Jail on five different charges, including three counts of Level 6 felony neglect of a dependent.

At about 4 p.m., Putnam County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a call of a motor vehicle crash at State Road 240 and U.S. 40.

Upon their arrival, Cpl. Scott Ducker and Probationary Deputy Levi Martin made contact with one of the drivers, Gerald Cox, who said another driver had attempted a U-turn on U.S. 40 in front of him.

Cox said he attempted to brake but couldn’t avoid the collision. This account was corroborated by a pair of other witnesses to the crash.

Prior to the arrival of deputies, the other driver, later identified as Ferguson, had taken children from her car and walked away from the scene, telling the witnesses that the kids needed to use the bathroom.

She and the children walked toward a home north of the incident and never returned. It was later determined that they never arrived to the home nor did they make contact with the homeowners.

Ducker noted that based on witness accounts, two of the children were possibly injured in the crash. He also found no child safety seats upon inspecting the vehicle.

With Ducker managing the crash scene, Cpl. Brian Helmer and Indiana State Trooper Matthew Rea began searching the area for the driver and three children. They were soon joined by several Hendricks County deputies and Putnam County night shift deputies, as well as Sheriff Jerrod Baugh.

The Hendricks deputies also provided an aerial drone and K9 unit, but attempts to locate were initially unsuccessful.

“We were all determined to find those three children,” Ducker said. “We knew they were scared, possibly injured and in physical danger. We planned on staying out there as long as needed to ensure they were located and cared for. The sun was setting fast and we needed to find them.”

After three hours of ground searching, Putnam County Deputy Josh Deal located them in a field to the northwest of the incident. The three children were immediately placed in the care of Putnam County EMS and transported to Putnam County Hospital for treatment.

Department of Child Services was contacted and coordinated safe placement for the children.

Ferguson was arrested and charged with three child neglect felonies as well as two Class A misdemeanors, leaving the scene of an accident causing injury and driving without ever receiving the license.

She is currently lodged at the Putnam County Jail on a $10,005 bond.

Ducker made special note of the hard work of night shift deputy Josh Clark during the search as well as a thank you to Putnam County EMS for waiting three hours while officers located the children.

As of Thursday afternoon, Ferguson had not been formally charged in court.