Inset: Kirstin D. Bowers (Shelby County Jail). Background: Bowers’ home after a fire last month that left her 7-year-old son dead (WTHR).
A 31-year-old mother in Indiana has been arrested after authorities say she left her four small children inside of their burning home, walking several blocks from the blaze that ended up killing her 7-year-old son. Kirstin D. Bowers was taken into custody last week and charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death for her alleged role in the death of young David Bowers Jr., authorities announced.
According to a news release from the Rush County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and firefighters at about 2 p.m. on June 5, 2025, responded to a 911 call regarding a “house fire with a small child still inside” at a residence in the 2000 Block North CR 700 W in Arlington.
Upon arriving at the scene, first responders encountered the single-family residence “fully engulfed” in flames. Firefighters made several attempts to rescue the boy who was trapped in the home, but they were ultimately unsuccessful. He was later pronounced dead on the scene by the Rush County Coroner’s Office.
Investigators said that “numerous suspicious circumstances” were observed at the home on the day of the fire.
In an initial statement provided to authorities, Bowers allegedly said that she was smoking a cigarette in bed when she fell asleep, “awakening to the bed being on fire.” She then claimed she tried to help the kids.
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“Bowers advised she attempted to get the children out of the residence one by one, however due to smoke and fire she was unable to rescue David Bowers Jr.,” the release states.
Bowers made two separate 911 calls on the date of the fire, authorities said. She allegedly hung up during the first call and about 15 minutes later, she called again and reported her son was in the house during the fire.
As the investigation continued, detectives said they discovered that Bower’s story did not add up.
“A timeline of events, developed by investigators using surveillance footage, witness statements, and digital technology, revealed that Kirstin Bowers had left the residence and walked several blocks from the residence during the suspected time of the fire,” the release states. “This left four small children inside the residence. It is suspected that three children exited the residence on their own and David Bowers Jr. was unable to get out.”
According to a report from Indianapolis NBC affiliate WTHR, Bowers and her husband had a combative relationship and fought often. Only days before the fire, a neighbor told investigators they heard Bowers yell, “I f—ing hate you and I hope everything you love dies.”
A search of Bowers’ cellphone showed that on the day before the fire, she sent her husband an angry message about their kids.
“Well I’m about to call the CPS lady back out here…and let her know that you left me here with the kids by myself when she said not to so thanks,” the message reportedly said.
She also told police to ignore any statements from neighbors about her allegedly walking away from the house as it burned, claiming she had actually returned from that walk about five minutes before the fire began, per WTHR. Police said the first 911 call — the hangup — actually came about four minutes after she left the house.
At the scene, officers reportedly noted that despite claiming to have helped her kids escape the fire, Bowers was clean of any soot and did not smell at all like smoke.
About a week after the fire, Bowers reportedly performed internet searches for the following: “Manslaughter sentence Indiana,” “Voluntary manslaughter,” “Reckless homicide sentence,” and “Manslaughter of a child sentence Indiana.”
When informed about his son dying in the fire, Bowers’ husband immediately said to authorities, “Arrest her,” referring to his wife, WTHR reported. He filed for divorce from Bowers on July 9, 2025.
“This is a tragic event for our community, and especially for the town of Arlington, which has faced several heartbreaking incidents in recent years,” Detective Randy M. Meek of the Rush County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “Our agency would be remiss not to recognize the heroic efforts of the fire personnel from multiple departments-many of whom are volunteers. These men and women willingly put their own safety at risk in an effort to rescue David Bowers Jr. Their bravery and selflessness on that day deserve our deepest gratitude and highest commendation.”
Bowers is currently being held in the Shelby County Jail without bond on unrelated charges. She is scheduled to appear in Rush County Circuit Court for her initial hearing on the neglect charges on Wednesday, July 30, records show.
