Police: Mother flings baby to ground in meth-fueled rage

GREENWOOD, Ind. (WISH) - Police arrested a Greenwood mother last week for slamming her 10-month-old baby girl head-first onto the pavement in an apartment parking lot. Officers said the 23-year-old mother admitted to using meth prior to the incident.

Officers were called to a Greenwood apartment complex around 10:30 a.m. Thursday morning after residents reported Kayla Neighbors, 23, was screaming about dropping her baby, Aryana Neighbors.

Police say shortly after the first call, a resident called back to report that Neighbors had thrown Aryana down on the concrete.

According to the police report, apartment residents responded to Neighbors' screams about dropping her baby. Once the residents determined the baby was OK, they handed Aryana back to Neighbors. That's when, according to witnesses, Neighbors got a "cracked out" look on her face and slammed Aryana down head-first onto the pavement.

In the probable cause, several shocked witnesses reported hearing the horrible sound of Aryana's head hitting the ground.

"Like a rock just hitting the concrete. It was bad for all of us to see," said witness Mary Shaw Jeffers. “She picked her up and threw her down.”

The responding officers say Neighbors admitted to using methamphetamine and that they found a glass pipe inside the apartment.

Police say Neighbors was hysterical and said that her husband was dead inside the house. Her husband, John Neighbors, was eventually found unharmed.

John Neighbors’ father, Gary Neighbors, told 24-Hour News 8 that John Neighbors was not home at the time of the incident but was charged with neglect when he returned.

Aryana Neighbors was rushed to Riley Hospital with a skull fracture. She is now out of the hospital and living with her grandparents.

“She's doing well, she was released from Riley on Saturday evening. We brought her home.” Gary Neighbors said.

Kayla Neighbors, who is six months pregnant, was arrested and charged with battery, she remains at the Johnson County Jail.