Collegedale investigators have continued to examine the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of infant Violet Blackdeer in the summer of 2024.
Collegedale officers working in an active school zone on Aug. 12 encountered Timothy Paul Blackdeer and his unresponsive daughter. Despite all efforts to revive the child, she was pronounced dead. Investigators determined that the infant had been left unattended in her father’s SUV for most of the day while outdoor temperatures soared into the upper 80s. Blackdeer had been at work at a nearby construction site.
Following a thorough investigation, a Hamilton County Grand Jury indicted Blackdeer earlier this week on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse and neglect in connection with his daughter's death.
The child’s mother, Catelin Danielle Blackdeer, has also been charged with criminally negligent homicide for her involvement in the case.
The case has now been transferred to the Hamilton County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.