INDIANAPOLIS, IN – An Indianapolis woman has been taken into custody after allegedly stabbing an infant inside a hotel room. The incident occurred at the Days Inn on Craig Street in Castleton on Tuesday night. Reports from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) indicate that officers responded to a stabbing report. Upon arrival at the scene, discovered a 1-year-old girl with a stab wound to her neck. The suspect, identified as 32-year-old Sharon Key, was apprehended shortly after hiding near the hotel.
The motive behind the attack was revealed when Key tearfully confessed to police that she had intended to stab a dog for eating her chicken sandwich. However, in her attempt to harm the dog, she accidentally stabbed her niece instead. The child’s grandfather, Tracy Griffin, expressed his desire for Key to be held accountable for her actions, stating that his granddaughter would be scarred for life. The injured child was rushed to Riley Children’s Hospital, where she received stitches for her ear and neck injuries. Fortunately, she is expected to survive.
Key’s criminal history includes multiple encounters with the law, having been in and out of jail more than 20 times in the past decade. Court records indicate that she previously pleaded guilty to stabbing another woman during a fight at a gas station in 2020. Key was released from the Department of Correction in March for that offense. Family members of the suspect revealed that she has long struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental health issues.
While formal charges are still pending, Key is currently facing charges of criminal recklessness. This offense carries a potential sentence of 6 months to 2.5 years behind bars.