A Logansport Police Department vehicle (stock image). Photo: Logansport Police Department/Facebook
A shocking case of child punishment has landed an Indiana police officer and his wife in serious legal trouble. Authorities say the couple forced their 6-year-old daughter to stand outside in the freezing cold while holding a deeply unsettling sign—and then the officer himself showed up when someone called 911.
It all unfolded on January 19 in Logansport, Indiana, when a concerned woman spotted the young girl outside in just 18-degree weather. She was holding a sign that read: “I want to stab and kill my brother, I even take an antipsychotic. If you need to give pity, then give it to the victims.”
The horrified bystander immediately called 911. To her shock, one of the responding officers was the girl’s own father—Cody Scott, a Logansport police officer. According to court documents, bodycam footage captured Scott telling a witness, “Well, sir, aside from me cruelly beating her physically, I’ve not done any other punishment that’s worked for her.”
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Scott went on to say that his daughter had threatened their family and had been in therapy for years. He justified the punishment by claiming she was dressed warmly and allowed to go inside every 30 minutes to warm up.
When the Indiana State Police later reviewed the footage, they flagged the situation as child neglect and contacted the Department of Child Services (DCS) to investigate. What they found was even more disturbing.
Scott and his wife, Kylie, admitted to frequently punishing their daughter by making her hold signs in public. In one instance, they allegedly forced her to carry a sign at Walmart that read, “I lie to hurt other people.” Another time, she was made to bring a sign to school that said, “I pee on everything and cover it up like a cat.”
During an interview with child protection services, the girl revealed that she was often confined to her room for punishment, even when she needed to use the bathroom. She also claimed her younger brother never received the same treatment.
Scott, who was placed on unpaid leave in January, and his wife are now facing two felony charges of neglect of a dependent. The couple appeared in court on March 13 and pleaded not guilty. They are set to return to court on May 8, with a trial scheduled for September 22.
The case has sparked outrage, raising serious questions about parenting, discipline, and child protection—especially when the accused is a law enforcement officer.
