CHESNEY ALLEN - 5 yo (2010) - Indianapolis IN

Indianapolis IN ---- The father of 5-year-old Chesney Allen who drowned
in a retention pond says he is skeptical about what happened the night she died.
Early Monday morning, Mike Allen told reporters
that he doesn’t believe her death was an accident.
Allen says that his 9-year-old son told him a child that lives in their
neighborhood was bullying Chesney in the weeks before her death, and
that after her death that same boy told Allen’s son that he knew who killed her.
Allen said, “He said I know who killed your sister. Smiling, that’s what he said.”



Chesney went missing after her
parents sent her to a play date. Her brother dropped her off at a
neighbor’s home but the neighbor’s child wasn’t able to play. The
Allen’s say the child’s mother told Chesney to go home, but never called
them to let them know.
Chesney’s mother says she forgives the
neighbors for not letting her know her daughter was left alone outside.
“I think she thought she would be okay because it was daylight
outside and it’s not too far,” she said.
Mike Allen added that his daughter was afraid of the dark and water, and he says she would
have come home on her own unless something happened to her.
Lead homicide investigators in the case say that they still do not suspect
any foul play leading up to Allen’s death. They say so far the autopsy
results don’t show any signs of trauma before her death.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The father of a 5-year-old girl who was found dead in a retention pond on Indianapolis' southwest side said she was pushed by a 6-year-old boy.

The stunning allegation comes a week after the body of Chesney Allen was pulled from a pond near the Valley Brook Mobile Home Park, near Kentucky Avenue and High School Road, on April 19.

Mike Allen said that Chesney's death, tragic by any account, was both deliberate and preventable, 6News' Joanna Massee reported.

"She was knocked in. It was revenge," Allen said. "(She was knocked in) by the boy that was picking on her." Donna Steele, the mother of the 6-year-old boy, insisted that her son was not involved in Chesney's death and said she didn't know the boy had been accused of bullying the girl. "They're trying to take the blame off themselves," Steele said. "I think it's stupid for them to be blaming a kid when they could be blaming themselves." "You don't want to hear what I have to say (to that)," Allen said. Asked if he thought the boy was capable of killing the girl, Allen replied, "Hell, yes. They're not any different than an adult." Steele admitted that her son had expressed anger in the past, but said he was just talking and wouldn't intentionally hurt someone. "He all the time goes around here threatening to kill people, but it's just the way he is," she said. Allen said he wants Indianapolis police to take a closer look at the case. "I know if nothing gets done, he needs to be watching over his shoulder, cause I will know where he's at every day of his life," Allen said, referring to the boy. "I will keep track." Indianapolis police said they are looking at the case from every angle, including the allegations that came out Monday. Allen said he wants fences put up around retention ponds. There was not a fence around the pond in which Chesney died.

Father of drowned five-year-old suspects foul play
Updated: Apr 26, 2010 4:40 PM EDT

"Indianapolis - Police say it was accident, and the coroner says it was a drowning. While the family of five-year-old Chesney Allen is not disputing the cause of death, they're not so sure that her death was an accident.

It was one week ago when Chesney Allen was first reported missing. In an interview shot on the porch of the family home, one block away from where his daughter's body was found, Mike Allen reiterated his point.

"This was no accident," said Allen."...

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=12377697

Girl Drowns In Retention Pond
Police Not Sure When Child Drowned

POSTED: 6:26 am EDT April 20, 2010
UPDATED: 3:22 pm EDT April 20, 2010


INDIANAPOLIS -- A 5-year-old girl drowned in a retention pond on Indianapolis' southwest side late Monday night.

Indianapolis police were called to the Valley Brook Mobile Home Park, in 4300 block of Ten Oak Drive, just west of Kentucky Avenue, at about 9:20 p.m.

Video: Retention Pond Safety Stressed After Girl's Death

The parents of Chesney Allen told police that when they called a home where the girl had gone, accompanied by her older brother, to play at about 5:30 p.m., they found that she wasn't there.

"The friend she was going to play with was in time out, and Chesney had been sent home," said Sgt. Matt Mount.

When officers arrived, neighbors told them that the girl had been seen playing near a retention pond nearby with several other children....

Friends, family remember missing girl found in pond
Over one hundred people gathered Tuesday night to remember 5-year-old Chesney Allen at the retention pond where her body was recovered.

Kimberly King
Fox59.com
11:53 p.m. EDT, April 20, 2010

Indianapolis— Police are still continuing their investigation into how 5-year-old Chesney Allen drowned in a retention pond not far from her house on the southwestside.

Over one hundred people gathered Tuesday night with candles and teddy bears 20 feet from the dock where Chesney's body was found late Monday night.

"It's a tragedy, a tragedy," said Ruby Pruett, Chesney's grandmother. "If they had a fence up it wouldn't have happened."...


http://www.fox59.com/news/wxin-chesney-allen-memorial-042010,0,886541.story

Father says drowned daughter was threatened
Updated: Monday, 26 Apr 2010, 8:39 PM EDT
Published : Monday, 26 Apr 2010, 7:29 AM EDT

Reporter: Jacqueline Policastro
Editor: Hyacinth Rucker

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The father of a five-year-old girl found dead in southwest side retention pond told 24-Hour News 8 that a neighbor's child had threatened his little girl prior to her death.

24-Hour News 8 has talked to all parties involved including the police, the coroner, the victim's father and the mother of the boy who allegedly made threats. We're investigating the following question: was the death of Chesney Allen a terrible accident or a murder? ...




...Chesney's brother also made a surprising admission. He said she liked to play at the pond with another neighborhood child.

"She would say that she wouldn't get hurt and I told her to stay away and she wouldn't listen," said Colton.

Colton's father confirms the police have asked to interview the nine-year-old boy on Tuesday. But the police say Colton's mother is staunchly against it.

In the meantime, the coroner's office is still determining a cause of death. Microscopic evaluation of tissue samples and toxicology tests should take about six weeks.

http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/local/marion_county/dad-skeptical-about-daughters-drowning

Father says drowned daughter was threatened
Updated: Monday, 26 Apr 2010, 8:39 PM EDT
Published : Monday, 26 Apr 2010, 7:29 AM EDT

Reporter: Jacqueline Policastro
Editor: Hyacinth Rucker

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The father of a five-year-old girl found dead in southwest side retention pond told 24-Hour News 8 that a neighbor's child had threatened his little girl prior to her death.

24-Hour News 8 has talked to all parties involved including the police, the coroner, the victim's father and the mother of the boy who allegedly made threats. We're investigating the following question: was the death of Chesney Allen a terrible accident or a murder? ...




...Chesney's brother also made a surprising admission. He said she liked to play at the pond with another neighborhood child.

"She would say that she wouldn't get hurt and I told her to stay away and she wouldn't listen," said Colton.

Colton's father confirms the police have asked to interview the nine-year-old boy on Tuesday. But the police say Colton's mother is staunchly against it.

In the meantime, the coroner's office is still determining a cause of death. Microscopic evaluation of tissue samples and toxicology tests should take about six weeks.

http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/local/marion_county/dad-skeptical-about-daughters-drowning