2-Year-Old Girl's Death Ruled Homicide By Drowning; Father Charged

A 2-year-old girl whose body was found in an Indiana river in November 2021 died from drowning, and her death was ruled a homicide.

Emma Sweet was found dead in the White River in Bartholomew County, Indiana, on Nov. 28, 2021, three days after she went missing. The child died from "complications of hypothermia and asphyxia due to drowning," People reported, citing the Bartholomew County Coroner's Office.

"No actions were taken by her adult caregiver to rescue Emma Sweet from the dangerous environment and this inaction resulted in her death," the Bartholomew County Sheriff alleged in a statement, "and thus the manner of death is homicide."

The child and her father, 39-year-old Jeremy Sweet, were reported missing on Thanksgiving Day, the day after they were last seen together.

Duck hunters found Jeremy’s pick-up truck submerged in the east fork of the White River on Nov. 26.

The father was still alive when he was found inside the truck and was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment for exposure to hypothermia.

However, his daughter was still missing as she was not with him in the truck, resulting in an extensive search by numerous agencies.

Two days later, a diver with the Bartholomew County Water Rescue and Recovery Team discovered Emma's body about 3 miles downstream from where her father's vehicle had been located.

On Dec. 1, Jeremy was arrested on a felony charge of neglect of a dependent resulting in death, WTHR reported, citing a statement from the Bartholomew County Sheriff's Office. The father also faced another charge of unlawful possession of a syringe.

Sheriff Matt Myers said the father gave differing accounts about what had happened to his daughter when he was interviewed by authorities.

"What he originally said was that he possibly had dropped his daughter off someplace prior to that incident happening," Myers stated. "And then he said at the same time there shortly after that she was with him at the time he went into the water."

At the time of his daughter's death, Jeremy was out of jail on bond on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon as well as possession of methamphetamine, the sheriff said.

During a police interview, Jeremy admitted to using methamphetamine and marijuana on Nov. 24, the last day Emma’s mother reported seeing both Jeremy and her daughter, Fox 59 reported.

Jeremy’s trial date in the death of his daughter was tentatively set for May.