An 8-Month-Old Girl Weighed Just 9 lbs. Her Parents Are Now Accused of Locking Her Away While They Slept By Christine Pelisek

A mother and father in Indiana have been charged with neglect after their 8-month-old daughter was found malnourished and weighing just nine lbs.

Benjamin Joseph Tackett and Kayla Therese Thompson, both 25, were taken into custody on felony neglect charges including neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury.

During the investigation, detectives with the Jennings County Sheriff Office discovered their infant daughter was “suffering from severe malnourishment, hygiene related neglect, severe dermatitis, and developmental delays,” per a sheriff’s press release.

“It was determined at 8-months-old, the child weighed approximately 9 lbs.”

According to the sheriff’s office, both parents admitted to “knowingly” neglecting their daughter.

“Benjamin and Kayla advised detectives during interviews that they were tired after work, and at times locked the child in a separate bedroom for approximately 10 hours at a time so they could sleep,” per the release.

A warrant was issued for their arrest.

According to the release, the case came to light after the Indiana Department of Child Services reached out to the sheriff’s office.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Tackett and Thompson were taken into custody on Nov. 5. Other children in the North Vernon home were removed by the Department of Child Services.

A hearing is scheduled for Nov. 13.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.