More details released on missing girl’s death

The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department has released more information about the autopsy of a missing girl found dead in East Fork White River over Thanksgiving weekend.

2-year-old Emma Sweet died from complications of hypothermia and asphyxia due to drowning according to the autopsy report. The manner of her death was determined to be a homicide.

According to reports from the sheriff’s department yesterday, the conclusion that it was a homicide came about because the girl was brought to a dangerous environment by her father, Jeremy Sweet. After being placed in the dangerous environment no actions were taken by the caretaker, her father, to rescue her from the environment.

The autopsy was conducted by forensic pathologist Thomas J. Sozio on Nov. 29th at Columbus Regional Hospital.

She was found dead in the river the Sunday after Thanksgiving after being reported missing with her father, 39-year-old Jeremy Sweet, on Thanksgiving Day. Duck hunters found Jeremy Sweet in his truck that was submerged in the river the Friday after Thanksgiving, but the girl was missing.

A search recovered her body in the river near Southern Crossing two days later.

Sweet is facing charges of neglect of a dependent resulting in death.