Muncie Mother Faces Charges for Menacing Daughter with Handgun

MUNCIE, Ind. — April Rochele Bayer, 45, was arrested Sunday afternoon and is facing several serious charges, including battery with a deadly weapon, intimidation, and child neglect, after allegedly using a handgun to threaten her daughter.

Police were dispatched to Bayer’s apartment in the 2500 block of North Wheeling Avenue around 4 p.m. following a report of domestic violence. According to the police report, Bayer’s daughter informed officers that during a heated argument, Bayer brandished a handgun, waved it in her direction, and at one point, “tapped” her daughter’s head with the firearm.

The daughter expressed fear for her safety, stating she believed her mother was capable of shooting her. At the time of the incident, four additional juveniles were present in the residence, raising further concerns about safety and neglect.

A witness to the incident, identified as the daughter’s boyfriend, corroborated her account, providing police with a similar description of the events that transpired inside the apartment.

Bayer was taken into custody and is currently being held at the Delaware County Jail on a $35,000 bond. The Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman’s office will review the case to decide on filing formal charges.

This is not the first run-in Bayer has had with the law. Earlier this year, in January, she was charged with driving while intoxicated and public intoxication in Henry Circuit Court 3. That case remains pending.

Police are continuing their investigation into the incident that occurred on Sunday and have urged any additional witnesses to come forward.

Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. He can be reached at 765-213-5851 or [email protected].