Grant Stevens and Hannah Evans (Porter County Sheriff's Office). Background: The shop in Indiana where the couple allegedly stopped while their child was dying in the car (Google Maps).
A mother and father in Indiana were arrested in connection with the death of their 6-month-old daughter, who was cold, limp, and dying in their car when they decided to stop for snacks and cigarettes instead of going straight to the hospital.
Grant Ethan Stevens and Hannah Marie Evans, both 30, are facing felony charges for allegedly depriving their infant of the emergency medical care that could have saved her life in October 2025.
Stevens faces one count of aggravated battery and two counts of neglect of a dependent, with authorities alleging a horrific pattern of physical abuse spanning the infant's short lifespan. Evans is charged with a single count of neglect of a dependent resulting in death.
The investigation stems from an incident on Oct. 28, 2025, inside the couple's Valparaiso apartment, according to a report from The Chicago Tribune.
Stevens reportedly told a Department of Child Services investigator that he took charge of the child's care for two hours so Evans could take a break. While attempting a bottle feeding, Stevens claimed the child began discharging mucus and vomit from her nose and mouth, causing him to panic and attempt back blows and CPR, police said.
He did not notify Evans because he believed the child's breathing had stabilized, despite noting a wheezing sound, The Times of Northwest Indiana reported.
Evans allegedly told police she wore noise-cancelling headphones and was playing a handheld video game in another room during the window of time when the injuries occurred. She reportedly recalled hearing several "loud smacking" sounds and briefly went to check on Stevens and the baby. After seeing vomit on his shirt and accepting his brief explanation of what happened, she returned to her video game. The couple went to bed later that evening while the infant was down for the night.
The situation reportedly deteriorated rapidly after the couple went to sleep. Evans stated that she felt "something was not right" with the child overnight and noticed she missed her normal 1:30 a.m. feeding time, per the Tribune. When the couple awoke at 6 a.m. the next morning, Stevens found the child "cold to the touch" and seemingly lifeless.
Rather than calling 911 for an ambulance, the couple decided to drive the child themselves, claiming they thought it would be faster. However, investigators determined that the trip took 30 minutes because they made a deliberate detour to a Family Express gas station — in the opposite direction from the hospital — to buy a Red Bull energy drink, cigarettes, and a candy bar, the Times reported.
Upon arriving at Northwest Health — Porter, physicians reportedly discovered the child had sustained a traumatic, perforated bowel and a fractured rib from weeks prior. She was transferred to the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries on Oct. 31, 2025, and was pronounced dead.
A child abuse expert at the hospital noted that the infant was in septic shock due to a bodily infection and was likely dying during the drive, an outcome the gas station detour heavily exacerbated, according to the Tribune. The doctor concluded there was "no medical explanation" for the catastrophic trauma other than physical abuse.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office officially determined the child's death was a homicide due to multiple injuries, revealing several broken ribs in various stages of healing.
Evans allegedly admitted to past red flags regarding her boyfriend's behavior, including a previous incident where the child suffered abdominal bruising after striking a coffee table while in his care. She also noted that Stevens had previously referred to the 6-month-old girl as a "b—," per the Tribune.
It was not immediately clear when the duo was scheduled to appear in court.
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