Indiana prosecutor declines charges in false report against Pete Buttigieg

An Indiana prosecutor has declined to file criminal charges against a woman who made a false child welfare report concerning Pete Buttigieg. Marshall County Prosecuting Attorney E. Nelson Chipman Jr. determined that the woman, identified in records as TJ, lacked the criminal intent necessary for a conviction due to a documented history of hallucinations and delusional thinking.

The incident occurred in June when the woman, based in Alabama, contacted Indiana authorities with a claim that Buttigieg had committed violent crimes. The report was subsequently passed to officials in Michigan, where Buttigieg resides. The investigation led to a temporary separation between Buttigieg, his husband Chasten Buttigieg, and their four-year-old twins, who were sent to stay with relatives while investigators interviewed the children.

The children were cleared of any connection to the allegations within 24 hours. The handling of the case has drawn scrutiny, with Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office examining how the unverified report was processed. Critics and legal experts have raised concerns regarding the speed at which the report was acted upon without initial verification.