Woman Put 2-Year-Old Inside Suitcase on Bus 'To Keep Him Warm': Police

An Indiana woman allegedly admitted to putting her child inside a suitcase on a bus ride — and is now facing charges of child endangerment.

Ashley Gibson, 29, was arrested on Dec. 12 in Bloomington, Ind., in connection with the incident, according to police, FOX 59, WBIW and Indiana Public Media reported last week. 

Court documents and police records cited by the outlets allege Gibson boarded a Bloomington Transit bus with a suitcase on the afternoon of Dec. 12. According to video footage reviewed by investigators, she sat towards the front of the bus, FOX 59 reported.

Once the bus was moving, Gibson allegedly stated she’d put her 2-year-old in a suitcase, prompting the driver to hit the brakes and notify law enforcement. It wasn’t immediately clear if she made the alleged statement to the driver or if he overheard her. 

The video shows Gibson opening up the suitcase and retrieving the child from inside, about 18 minutes after she boarded the bus, per FOX 59.

She allegedly told investigators she put the child in the suitcase “to keep him warm,” the court documents stated. Officers noted, however, the child was well-dressed in warm clothes for the weather.

Gibson allegedly said her caseworker had approved of her putting the child in the suitcase, per court documents.

While Gibson was on the bus for 18 minutes before the child was retrieved, it wasn’t clear when and where the child was put in the suitcase or if the child was injured in any manner.

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Gibson was arrested on Jan. 14 in connection with the incident. She has been charged with child neglect causing endangerment as well as criminal recklessness, according to Indiana’s online court records.

Gibson has pleaded not guilty; she is scheduled to go to trial later this year.

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.