Overview

• Laniecia Michelle Smith faces five counts of neglect of a dependent and five counts of battery on a person under 14 after videos recorded June 23–27.
• A Porter County Jail deputy reviewing inmate call footage observed Smith vaping near preschoolers, hitting and insulting 3- and 4-year-olds, and striking an autistic boy with a broom.
• The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration issued an emergency closure for Future Leaders Childcare Ministries and opened a probe into its operator across three Gary locations.
• Smith was arrested on July 14, released on bond, and is due in Lake County Court for a hearing on July 30.
• Investigators have identified five child victims, prompting law enforcement and state regulators to strengthen oversight of the facility.