The death of 2-year-old Skylar Gardner has shocked the Indianapolis community and raised urgent questions about child welfare and neglect.
Skylar was found dead in a cold, filthy apartment, her body showing signs of severe neglect, frostbite, and multiple injuries.
Her mother, Chantell Gardner, and her boyfriend, Brian Thomas, now face criminal charges in connection with the tragedy.
A Home of Horror
On Jan. 25, 2025, Skylar Gardner was found lifeless underneath a lightweight dresser in her family’s apartment in the 6300 block of Newberry Road at Timber Point Apartments.
The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office described the home as a “biohazard,” with floors covered in feces, overturned furniture, and mounds of trash. The stench of urine and feces was overwhelming, and the apartment’s temperature ranged between 46 and 51 degrees—conditions unfit for any living being, let alone a toddler.
Skylar’s body was already in rigor mortis when she was discovered. An autopsy revealed multiple injuries, including bruising across her body, bite marks on her back and arm, frostbite on her hands and feet, and a puncture wound near her neck, possibly caused by a rodent after her death. The coroner also found evidence of dehydration, hair, and possibly feces in her stomach, as well as foreign materials like paint chips in her intestines.
A Mother’s Neglect
According to court documents, Chantell Gardner admitted to leaving her children unattended for hours—and sometimes days—while she spent time with her boyfriend, Brian Thomas. Gardner told detectives that she began leaving Skylar and her 3-year-old brother alone in October 2024, initially for short periods to meet Thomas in the parking lot. Over time, she started leaving them for longer errands, such as picking up food or grocery shopping.
Gardner claimed the children were “challenging” to care for, making it easier to leave them behind. She also admitted that the apartment’s unbearable smell drove her to stay away entirely, even avoiding showering there because the odor would cling to her immediately afterward. She said she wiped her son down once a week and bathed Skylar weekly to remove feces and buildup from her hair.
Despite her neglect, Gardner claimed she would bring the children fast food like cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets, and soft drinks when she visited.
A Father’s Anguish
Skylar’s father, who lives in Ohio, arrived at the apartment the day she was found. He told detectives he last saw his children around Thanksgiving 2024 and had tried to contact them via phone and video chat, but Gardner was unresponsive.
The last time he saw Skylar was two to three weeks before her death, during a video call where she appeared to fall asleep on her mother’s chest.
Criminal Charges
Chantell Gardner has been indicted on charges of murder and neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury.
Her boyfriend, Brian Thomas, faces two counts of assisting a criminal for allegedly lying to hinder the investigation. Thomas told police he hadn’t been to Gardner’s apartment in months and believed the children were staying with her family when she was with him.
A Community in Mourning
Skylar’s 3-year-old brother, who also suffered from severe neglect and food disparity, was taken to Riley Children’s Health for examination. Doctors described his condition as life-threatening.
As the investigation continues, the community is left grappling with the tragic loss of a young life and the systemic failures that allowed such neglect to occur.
