Courtroom - inside
Courtroom - Inside

Mother sentenced for hiding son and subjecting him to abuse

Fort Wayne, IN – Angie Harlan, 45, received a sentence of two and a half years in Allen County Community Corrections Residential Services. Harlan was charged with felony intimidation and misdemeanor false informing after hiding her son and forcing him to use a Pringles can as a toilet.

Harlan’s son had run away from his foster family, leading to a report of his disappearance on August 17. Following the report, Harlan denied seeing her son when questioned but was later found to have concealed him in her home.

A tip led authorities back to Harlan’s residence, where they discovered her son under a bed in a second-floor bedroom. The boy reported that Harlan had locked him in a closet after retrieving him from a different residence where he sought refuge.

According to the boy, Harlan gave him pills while claiming they were Tylenol, and he later identified them as a sedative and a painkiller. During the investigation, officers found two prescription bottles at the home.

In addition to her imprisonment, Harlan faced charges related to neglect and confinement. These charges were dropped as part of a plea deal.

Harlan’s behavior also reportedly included ordering her son to hide when police arrived and making him conceal himself in a bush during an outing.

The facility where Harlan will serve her sentence focuses on community-based supervision for moderate to high-risk offenders.

Harlan’s case sheds light on troubling issues of child safety and welfare in the community.

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