Grandfather of missing 8-month-old ‘still hopeful’ as homicide detectives take over case

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The family of a missing Indianapolis girl declared the subject of a homicide investigation is “still hopeful“ the case could take a positive turn, her grandfather said.

8-month-old Amiah Robertson was first reported missing March 16, according to police.

Family initially told investigators they last saw the child March 14 and did not believe she was in danger. 

Authorities later updated her last sighting to March 16 and said she was believed to be in “extreme danger.“ 

Further investigation led detectives to conclude she was last seen alive March 9 with her mother’s boyfriend, Robert Lyons.

Indianapolis police confirmed the updated timeline during a briefing March 23 after Chief Bryan Roach announced the missing baby case had been classified as a homicide investigation.

“[Detectives] figured out quickly through their investigation that this was a little different than most missing persons [cases],“ said Roach. “Things just didn’t add up.“

Lyons is being investigated as a suspect, detectives revealed during the police briefing.

Authorities provided his booking photo from an unrelated March 17 arrest and confirmed he had been released from custody March 20.

Amiah’s grandfather, Charles “Chuck“ Robertson, told News 8 he had suspicions about Lyons days before he was publicly identified as a suspect.

“I trust detectives to do what they need to do,“ Chuck said in a phone conversation the morning after police made the announcement. “We just have to stay hopeful.“

Without a body or forensic evidence confirming Amiah’s death, Chuck said he refused to abandon hope that she could still be found alive.

Her mother, however, was “miserable“ and in “total distress“ after learning the case had been turned over to homicide detectives, her family said.

Amber Robertson is cooperating with the investigation and is not a suspect in her daughter’s disappearance, according to police.

“Since March 10, Robert Lyons has taunted Amber Robertson about Amiah’s whereabouts,“ said Jeannie Burkert, an IMPD detective involved in the case. “Robert has told family, friends and myself where Amiah should be alive and okay. All of these locations and homes were checked with full cooperation from residents.“

None of the searches proved fruitful. Some locations provided by Lyons “do not exist,“ Burkert added.

A tip from an undisclosed source sparked a police investigation March 20 along a creek near Sadie and West McCarty streets, less than a mile from the Holmes Avenue house where Amiah was last seen.

Detectives spent hours collecting “items” from the shoreline and confirmed March 23 they belonged to the child. Police declined to elaborate on their findings or provide descriptions of the items collected near the creek.

Chuck said he was aware of the search but had no information about what was found.

During an interview with News 8 hours before the creek-side investigation, he said he had been awake for days and refused to go anywhere without his phone in case detectives called with news about his missing granddaughter.

He picked up after one ring the weekend police announced Amiah had been declared the subject of a homicide investigation.

“Still hoping that she comes home safely,“ Chuck said quietly.

CASE DETAILS – INDIANAPOLIS POLICE

• Amiah Robertson was last seen alive Saturday, March 9 at 1:15 p.m. with Robert Lyons in the 200 block of South Holmes Ave. 
• Lyons stayed on the southwest side of Indianapolis until approximately 10 p.m. and returned to her mother without the baby.
• Lyons was driving a maroon 1996 Isuzu Rodeo in “poor condition.“
• Authorities are seeking possible witnesses who may have seen Lyons or the child March 9 between 1:30 and 8:30 p.m. in the area of Rockville Road and Mickley Avenue.
• Anybody with information is urged to contact IMPD at 317-327-3811 or Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS.