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The case of missing infant Amiah Robertson took a dramatic turn Saturday.
It was first reported that eight-month-old Robertson had been missing for a week. Now, Indianapolis Metro Police Chief Bryan Roach says she’s been missing since March 9 and this is a homicide investigation. Police said the suspect is not the mother, Amber Robertson, as many had speculated, but her boyfriend Robert Lyons who was last seen with the baby. Police had Lyons in custody for three days but he was released on Wednesday and now cannot find him.
March 16 is when IMPD said it was first called about a missing person, a case they say now they knew from the start was “a little different” than most and now it’s leaned police have treated it as a homicide investigation all week, even as search parties and vigils, and sprawling speculation across Facebook where locals and people from around the world were trying to figure out the case that police say has been a tangle and the people who should be the most cooperative, the family of the missing baby, have been anything but.
“Things just didn’t add up,” police said. “We’re frustrated and angry because of misinformation, lack of information and lack of cooperation from those most closely involved. We need information.”
On March 19 police issued a silver alert, carried out a search of a house to find evidence, and hoped to get information from the community.
On March 20, police got a tip about “child belongings” they’d find close to the White River and those items have been identified as belonging to the baby. They expanded a search along the river that included community volunteers.
The story that police now believe to be the facts, according to Det. Jeannie Burkhart is that on March 9 at around 1 p.m., Amiah was seen “alive and well” with Robert Lyons in south Indianapolis. He went back home at 10 that night without the baby. Police said “Amber gave permission for Amiah to stay with the babysitter until the following morning.” Lyons told family and police where they could find the baby but police checked those locations and did not find her and some locations he said they could find her “do not exist.” Police said that since March 10, Lyons “taunted” the mother on the whereabouts of the baby. The baby has not been seen since.
“It’s very concerning,” that Amber Robertson did not report her infant missing until a week after she was last seen, Lt. Bruce Smith said.
IMPDRobert Lyons
Police do not know where Lyons is.
As of Saturday, this is the official IMPD statement on the case:
“Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Homicide detectives have taken the lead in the missing persons case involving 8-month-old Amiah Robertson.
IMPD was first notified of Amiah’s disappearance when family filed a report on 03/16/2019 and reported at that time that Amiah had been last seen on 03/14/2019 and was not in immediate danger. As the investigation progressed, Missing Persons detectives were given conflicting stories about Amiah’s disappearance and then accelerated their investigation believing she was in danger. Homicide detectives then began working alongside Missing Persons detectives.
Detectives conducted a search warrant in the 200 block of S Holmes and collected items on 03/19/2019 and with the assistance of the Indiana State Police, issued a Silver Alert. Then on 03/20/2019, they received a tip that items related to the investigation could be found at McCarty St and Eagle Creek. Detectives, with the assistance of the Indianapolis Marion County Forensic Services Agency, collected items at that time, which they now have confirmed were related to Amiah’s disappearance. Due to low number of tips being called into the Silver Alert tip line and the line having to be staffed 24/7, the Alert was left to expire at midnight on 03/21/2019.
Through the use of investigative techniques and in interviewing witnesses, it was learned that Amiah was last seen alive with Robert Lyons (20) at 1:15 p.m. on 03/09/2019. Robert told Amiah’s mother, Amber Robertson (19), that Amiah was with the babysitter. The babysitter denies that Amiah was with her. Amiah was last seen in the 200 block of Holmes Ave.
Lyons is considered a suspect in Amiah’s disappearance, however detectives are not actively seeking him. Detectives are urging anyone with information on Lyons movements between 03/09/2019 and 03/16/2019, while he was driving a 1996 Maroon Isuzu Rodeo SUV in poor condition, in the area near Mickley avenue and Rockville Rd on March 9th, 2019 between 1:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., to call the IMPD Homicide Office at 317.327.3475 or report tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 317.262.TIPS (8477).
At least 25 IMPD Detectives (missing persons, homicide, and various other units) have done work on the case around the clock, with the assistance from the FBI, Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services Agency, Indianapolis Fire Department, and Marion County Prosecutors Office. Officers have responded to tips and assisted with searches over several districts and worked alongside community volunteers searching for Amiah. IMPD will continue to investigate until the case is resolved.
Anyone with information about Amiah’s disappearance is urged to contact the IMPD Homicide Office at 317.327.3475 or call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317.262.8477 or (TIPS). Citizens can also download the mobile P3tips app for Apple or Android phones to submit a mobile tip, or go to www.CrimeTips.org to submit a web tip. You will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1000 if the information leads to a felony arrest. Only tips submitted directly and anonymously to Crime Stoppers are eligible for these cash rewards. This release may be updated as more information becomes available. Information given via Crime Stoppers should be considered anonymous.”
Eight-month-old Amiah Robertson is 23 inches tall and weighs around 13 pounds. The 8-month-old infant girl has been missing for a week, or more. Many believe the baby’s mother, teenager Amber Robertson, knows more than she’s telling. Amiah’s family want the baby home and they want answers. The FBI and Indianapolis Metro police are still searching even as they investigate because “…something isn’t right here.”
Roberston cried in one TV news video, appeared confused and was mistaken about her baby’s hair length and eye color in another. Her accounts of when she last saw her baby too were confused. And the baby’s paternity is also in question. The father of her son, whom she gave birth to at age 17 in the winter of 2017, is Logan Hull. He says he’s Amiah Robertson’s father. Amber also dated another boy, also a teenager, named Travis Ricketts beginning in May of 2018. Amiah was born two months later.
Here’s a video she posted of her, her sister and Ricketts from September of 2018, when baby Amiah was around two months old.
But lately, she was apparently involved with Robert ‘Robbie’ Lyons, 26. When in one news interview, where she provides an account of what happened to her baby, it’s reported she referred twice to an “ex-boyfriend.” Just exactly to whom she was referring, in either instance, wasn’t clear but she said she gave Amiah to Lyons to take to the babysitter’s house. But that was on March 9, it is now known.
On Sunday March 17, Lyons was arrested. It’s not clear if the incident that brought the charges is directly connected to the baby’s disappearance. And court and jail records show no hearings, no bail or other information, just that he was booked March 17 and was released March 20.
And the man who said he raised Lyons, Michael Creamer, has been posting on social media saying Lyons is not the person authorities should be focused on.
“I’m ROBBIE LYONS DAD AND I’M HERE TO FIND OUT THE FUC*ING TRUTH so come on with the bullshit a blind mother fuc*er can see what happened!”
It’s a convoluted and heartbreaking case.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. An Alert Was Issued for the Missing Baby Tuesday March 19. But Police Were Told She Had Actually Been Missing Since Thursday March 14. Witnesses & Police Disputed That Account. The Baby Has Not Been Seen in Almost a Week
Amber Robertson posted to one of her at least five Facebook pages, this one that uses the url logan.robertson, first on Sunday March 17 at 3:40 p.m. that her baby was missing. This coincides with the time Lyons was arrested. But police said she first told them the baby had been missing since the Thursday before.
“Please share share share if any one has seen her or knows any information or knows any where abouts on my daughter please contact me at 3172588313 her name is amiah she is 8 months old and is about 16 pounds please share any information is better then none please help get her home safe and sound.”
Some commenters were incredulous that they’d not seen a missing baby on the news and rather were seeing a Facebook post, on March 17. Robertson answered: “I’m trying to put her on the new I left 3 messages I really did.”
Just after midnight, so on March 18, a second post.
“Amiah mommy loves you so much baby girl your out there some where and I’m not stopping till I find you your all mommy and bubby has we miss u so much I just wanna hold you and let everything be ok I love u more than life babygirl”
And she’s gone on camera with at least two versions of what she believes happened to her baby.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police detectives first alerted the public that Amiah was missing at around 2 a.m. Tuesday March 19. Police said that “according to her mother, she last saw Amiah at 229 S. Holmes Ave. Indianapolis, on Thursday, March 14, five days prior to when she was reported missing.
Police said “details of her disappearance are still under investigation and detectives are still looking for any tips as to Amiah’s whereabouts.”
Police said Amiah is just under two feet tall, weighs 13 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes. Robertson said her hair was long in one interview and short in another. She said the baby’s eyes are hazel and then said they are blue.
There were inconsistencies in many of the important details, it was reported.
Police said the baby was “believed to be in extreme danger and may require medical assistance.” But it was reported that there was conflicting information provided by the baby’s family members. It’s not clear which family members told police what, but on Tuesday, police provided local media a statement that read in part, “…during the course of the investigation, detectives determined the child to be in possible danger,” police officials said in a statement emailed to News 8.
But by the next day, the Silver Alert was cancelled. Police said it was because they were not getting tips.
A #SilverAlert has been issued for 8-month-old Amiah Robertson of Indianapolis. She is believed to be in extreme danger and may require medical assistance. Amiah was last seen Sat. afternoon in Indianapolis. Call 911 or Indianapolis Metro PD at 317-327-6540 with any information.
Then the FBI joined the case. But meanwhile, neighbors began documenting the police investigation. Scores of Facebook live videos began circulating but it was the ones from neighbors that were most viewed.
Two women in particular, cousins, have been documenting the case since the beginning, however, their narration is clearly speculative.
2. Cops Search Area Near White River Where ‘Items’ Were Found. Robertson Claimed She Found Her Baby’s & Lyons’ Stuff Near River. Divers Were Also Seen But Cops Have Declined to Say What Was Found
Amber Robertson told media that she found items belonging to her baby and her boyfriend on a bank near the White River. She said she phoned in a tip to police.
“Although not verbally confirmed, it would appear boats & divers with IFD are here on scene where police got a tip about items at Sadie & McCarty. No one has confirmed this is related to missing baby, but police say they are doing due diligence,” it was reported.
IMPD cautioned that anything official will come from them.
“Inaccurate reports & alleged “evidence” recovered, have been seen circulating on social media. Official accounts and facts as investigation proceeds will come from Official IMPD resources and releases. Don’t spread rumors, spread the plea for help in finding baby Amiah & the truth.”
Investigators viewed home security tape from homes near the child’s babysitter which is where Robertson claimed her baby was last seen. A warrant was obtained and the house searched. No body was found, it was reported.
3. Robertson’s Father Chuck Pointed the Finger of Blame at Lyons. The Majority of People Commenting on the Case on Social Media, Including the Baby’s Grandfather’s Posts, Say Mom Amber Knows More Than She’s Said
Robertson’s father told local media that his daughter and Lyons, who the grandfather said was not the child’s biological father, had been involved in a domestic dispute tied to the child’s paternity. Charles ‘Chuck’ Robertson told a reporter he believed Lyon was involved in the baby’s disappearance calling it a “gut feeling.”
Chuck Robertson posted the above on March 18, where he alleged that Lyons kidnapped the baby.
Lyons was arrested on charges related to him leaving the scene of an accident; he has similar charges from a February incident so it’s not clear if the cases are related. But may be related to the argument Chuck Robertson referred to, one allegedly focused on the baby’s paternity. He alleged to local media that, “[Lyons] physically abused my daughter and it escalated to where he ran a car into her. He sideswiped her with the front of the car and took off.”
According to online jail and court records, Lyons was arrested and charged with criminal recklessness and leaving the scene of an accident on St Patrick’s Day. He was released from jail Wednesday March 20 sans online explanation, meaning no court hearings are listed.
But a man who says he raised Lyons and refers to himself as “Robbie’s dad” raises questions about Amber’s account and alleges it appears she’s not only lying but may have been trying to frame Lyons. Michael Creamer has been commenting on Chuck Robertson’s Facebook post and engaging other Facebook users as he explains why he believes Lyons is not only not involved, but that Amber Robertson’s stories do not ring true. (Creamer’s post is written without punctuation.)
“Well you know it’s funny she hasn’t been telling the truth from the get to and if she came up missing Thursday how was she seen with the baby Friday night at 9 pm at the babysitter house coming out of Jennette Browning’s house with the baby so was the baby killed in the house on Friday night when she was carrying it out like it was a piece of trash instead of holding her close to her with clothes on and a coat and blanket over being it was cold out Amber and Robbie lived in the garage at the babysitter house how didn’t she know the babysitter so what time Friday did Amber give Robbie the baby to take around the corner to the babysitter house and they lived together why would they go to the motel for a date who paid for the motel any video of them being at the motel and at what time was they there at the motel and he beat her ass like they said why no domestic battery charges if he hit her with the car why ain’t she in the hospital if he was on drugs why is there no charge of owi no car theft charge cause I know he didn’t own the car where did the car come from he was driving and has no license and didn’t get charged for driving with no license and she didn’t report her baby missing till days later
and why didn’t she tell the police about her baby missing when he was getting arrested and he supposed to of told her to come with him to get her but she heard her life what about her baby life with that so you tell me what’s really going on this is what I’m see from what’s going on where is the biological father at he is keeping awful quiet I’m ROBBIE LYONS DAD AND IM HERE TO FIND OUT THE FUCKING TRUTH so come on with the bullshit a blind mother fucker can see what happened.”
Robertson was reported to have hired a lawyer.
Hundreds have been commenting on Chuck Roberson’s Facebook post with the majority telling the man, some kindly, some candidly, that he needs to ask his daughter about what happened to his granddaughter.
4. Robertson Has a Number of Facebook Pages & Former, & Maybe Current, Boyfriends. The Father of Her Nearly 2-Year-Old Son Said he Was Out of Town During the Time the Baby Disappeared, But Reports on His Whereabouts Conflict
Robertson, who was 17 when she first gave birth, said she was dating a boy named Travis Ricketts in the summer of 2018, which coincides with the time Amiah was born.
Ricketts shared similar posts about being in a relationship with Robertson but has since changed his Facebook profile status to single.
Then there’s Logan Hull.
Hull is apparently the father of her son, born in May of 2017. (In a video with local news, Amber Robertson refereed to the boy as being younger than her 8-month-old daughter.) Hull also told local media the baby is his and that he doesn’t know what happened because he was out-of-town.
“It’s really hard to even talk about it honestly. It would be a blessing to have her back home. It’s almost like you lost half your life without her being here. It’s hard to wake up every day not seeing her here. I have no idea what happened to her. I wish I knew where she was, I’d go get her,” Hull told WTHR.
Self-described witnesses and others have made statements and allegations on social about Hull and his possible involvement.
5. Questions Swirl About Robertson’s Involvement in Her Baby’s Disappearance & Many Are Dubious of Her Stories
Many are questioning Amber Robertson’s credibility and a neighbor questioned her “maternal instincts.”
Kayla Beatty, the daughter of neighbor Tammy Beatty said if her infant was missing, she’d “be checking trash cans everywhere [and] posting pictures …I’d be on every news channel. I wouldn’t be sitting quietly, I know that.”
Tammy Beatty gave cops surveillance tape that showed a truck with three people in it. She also said she saw Robertson and the baby on Friday night, the day after Robertson first said the baby went missing. Beatty said the baby “…had a short T-shirt on, probably some thin pajama pants, no jacket and it was cold. The mom was just holding her up [away from her body, instead of cradling her] and was speed walking with her.”
Kayla Beatty posted a Facebook Live on Wednesday as she documents and describes what she’s witnessing: police, searchers and rescue personnel near a creek bed with Robertson there as well. It’s purported to record authorities recovering evidence near the river. Beatty and others with her claim to witness an arrest of a woman who they said may, or may not, have been the “babysitter,” as well as narrating claims about Hull and a truck at the scene.
Robertson said she was the one that found items belonging to Amiah and Lyons and called it in to police as a “tip.”
Thousands on Facebook commented on a TV news interview with Robertson where she describes herself as “nervous” and “scared.”
And thousands of them ‘liked’ this post:
“No, something isn’t right here…”