Serenity, the three-week-old baby whose mother was found dead on Friday, is safe in the hands of relatives after Anderson police recovered her the same day. Her mother, 23-year-old Samantha Fleming, was apparently victimized by a woman who possibly has mental problems.

Fleming, from Anderson, travelled to Gary with the woman who pretended to be a child welfare officer but with the intent to kidnap the baby. On April 10, Fleming's boyfriend reported to Anderson police that she was missing four days after the mother and daughter left for Gary with the black woman, reports nwi.com.

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When Anderson police came on Friday to the residence of the woman at the 1900 block of Cleveland Street, they found another woman holding Serenity. She claimed to be the sister of the woman who was Fleming's contact. She told police of the bad smell inside her sister's house which led to a search and discovery of a body believed to be Fleming's.

The corpse was inside a plastic bag and placed inside a storage cabinet. The police took Serenity from the woman and brought her to Fleming's kin in Indianapolis.

Lt. Thomas Pawlak of the Anderson Police said that they scheduled an autopsy on the corpse on Saturday to confirm if the body is that of Fleming, although the physical description matches, reports Bulletin Standard.

The woman said her sister left the house on April 11 to see their mother in Texas, The suspect left Serenity with her sister and had not returned because she was confined in a hospital due to depression.

Evidence found in the suspect's house, including a baby crib, changing table, pram and infant clothes, indicate she planned to kill Fleming to get the baby. She previously told relatives that she was carrying twins, but one died when she allegedly gave birth. She also asked her kin not to visit her or the surviving baby at the hospital, which placed doubt if she was pregnant at all or it was all part of her plot to get Serenity by making the young mother think she was a welfare worker.

The suspect asked Fleming to go with her to attend a hearing at the Lake Superior Court. She identified herself as a representative of the Indiana Division of Kids Solution.

Sgt. Chad Boynton of the Anderson Police said that based on the agreement between officers of Madison and Lake counties, it would be prosecutors from Madison County who would file charges since events leading to Fleming's death started in Anderson and only continued in Gary.

TagsIndiana, murdered mom, Samantha Fleming, Baby Serenity