Couple sentenced in death of toddler who had broken spine, 90.8-degree body temperature

ANDERSON, Ind. (TCN) — A couple has been sentenced to decades in prison for the death of their 17-month-old daughter in 2024.

On Dec. 5, 2025, 24-year-old Shelby Langford and 29-year-old Nicolas Arnett were found guilty of neglect of a dependent resulting in catastrophic injury and/or death, following a four-day trial, the Madison County Prosecutor’s Office announced. WXIN reports that Arnett was sentenced to 40 years and Langford to 38 years on Jan. 12.

According to WXIN, the couple brought their daughter, Kamryn Arnett, to a children’s hospital in 2023. She was 10 months old at the time. Hospital staff saw significant bruising in various stages of healing, but Langford reportedly told staff the child was anemic and would play rough with her 3-year-old sibling.

According to court documents obtained by the outlet, hospital staff noted Kamryn Arnett had suffered many injuries, including three spinal fractures, extremely low body temperature (which Law & Crime reports as 90.8 degrees), severe internal hemorrhaging, other fractures in various stages of healing including on her foot and ribs, extremely high blood sugar, and boils. Staff also noticed the child had arrived with catastrophic brain damage, had no gag reflex, and could not cough. 

Staff suspected medical neglect or forcible bending of the spine and called police. Neglect was suspected since the parents gave conflicting stories about Kamryn Arnett’s injuries.

Law & Crime reports Langford told authorities she treated her child like a porcelain doll after she lost another child in 2021. She claimed Kamryn Arnett had been diagnosed with a slipped disc that prevented her from walking. She also said the child had suffered a stroke and four seizures. However, police determined the child did not have a medical condition or accident and that the injuries were traumatic.

WHTR reports Langford and Arnett did not visit Kamryn Arnett in the hospital very often, which concerned them.

WXIN reports Langford and Arnett were booked into jail in March 2024 and arrest warrants were issued in the neglect case. Kamryn Arnett died in September 2024 at 17 months old. 

MORE: