An Indiana mother convicted of murdering her 5-year-old daughter has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, bringing the criminal case to a close more than two years after the child was found severely malnourished inside an Indianapolis home.

Toni McClure, 31, received the sentence in Marion County after a jury found her guilty of murder, criminal confinement and battery of a child under 14 in connection with the April 2024 death of her daughter, Kinsleigh Welty.

The sentence followed a second trial. McClure’s first trial ended in a mistrial in June 2026 after a juror was accused of having inappropriate communications with a witness. A new jury was later selected, and jurors returned guilty verdicts on all three charges on September 1.

KINSLEIGH WAS FOUND SEVERELY MALNOURISHED
Police were called to a home on Denver Drive on Indianapolis’ southwest side on April 9, 2024, after Kinsleigh was found unresponsive.

Investigators said the child was in extremely poor condition. She was severely malnourished, and authorities reported finding fecal matter and lice on her body.

Kinsleigh was taken to a hospital but could not be saved. Authorities determined that she died from severe malnutrition.

One of the most disturbing discoveries came during the investigation into the circumstances surrounding her condition.

Investigators determined that Kinsleigh had been kept inside a small bedroom closet for extended periods. Court documents cited by WRTV said a dresser had been positioned in front of the closet, preventing her from leaving.

Investigators also said McClure acknowledged that she routinely placed her daughter in the closet and did little to ensure that the child received adequate food.

THE CHILD’S WEIGHT RAISED ALARM
The extent of Kinsleigh’s malnutrition became one of the most significant pieces of evidence in the case.

At the time she was found, Kinsleigh weighed approximately 21 pounds.

Court TV reported that the child weighed more at around 2½ years old than she did when she was found at age 5.

Investigators said other children in the household described Kinsleigh spending much of her time confined in the closet and being allowed out only for limited periods.

Inside the closet, investigators reportedly found human waste along with empty protein-shake bottles and food remnants.

INVESTIGATORS ALSO FOCUSED ON THE GRANDMOTHER
The investigation did not focus solely on McClure.

Her mother, Tammy Halsey, and McClure’s then-boyfriend, Ryan Smith, were also charged in connection with Kinsleigh’s death.

According to investigators and court documents, Halsey sometimes cared for Kinsleigh while McClure and Smith left the home.

Authorities said Halsey also participated in restraining the child and preventing her from obtaining food.

Messages between McClure and Halsey became an important part of the prosecution’s case.

The communications described methods of restraining Kinsleigh and keeping her confined. Prosecutors used those messages as evidence of the adults’ knowledge of the child’s treatment.

Halsey and Smith eventually entered plea agreements rather than facing the same murder charge as McClure.

TWO OTHER ADULTS RECEIVED 20-YEAR SENTENCES
Smith pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent resulting in death and received a 20-year sentence.

Halsey also pleaded guilty to the same offense and received a 20-year sentence. Her agreement required her to cooperate with the prosecution against her daughter.

The difference between their sentences and McClure’s was significant.

McClure went to trial and was convicted of murder, while the other two adults accepted plea agreements involving neglect.

Smith’s sentence began in August 2026, while Halsey’s sentence was imposed on September 24.

MCCLURE’S FIRST TRIAL ENDED IN A MISTRIAL
The case nearly reached a verdict earlier in 2026.

McClure’s first trial began in June, but proceedings were abruptly halted after prosecutors disclosed that a juror had communicated improperly with a witness.

The judge declared a mistrial at the defense’s request.

The decision meant prosecutors had to begin the case again with a new jury.

Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said at the time that the development delayed justice for Kinsleigh’s family, but prosecutors remained committed to trying the case again.

The retrial ultimately produced the result prosecutors had sought.

On September 1, jurors found McClure guilty of murder, criminal confinement and battery.

PROSECUTORS SOUGHT LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE
After the guilty verdict, prosecutors sought the harshest available sentence.

Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said the intentional killing of a 5-year-old child by her mother justified seeking life without parole.

At sentencing, Mears described the case as an enormous responsibility for prosecutors and investigators who had spent more than two years pursuing justice for Kinsleigh.

The court ultimately imposed the requested sentence.

Marion County Superior Court Judge James Snyder described the case as being close to the “worst of the worst,” according to WRTV’s report.

The judge also said that testimony and evidence in the case had deeply affected people involved in the investigation, including medical personnel and detectives.

THE FAMILY WANTED A LIFE SENTENCE
Kinsleigh’s paternal grandfather, Brian Welty, had previously spoken publicly about his family’s hopes following the guilty verdict.

After the September 1 conviction, he said the family was relieved that jurors had determined the killing was intentional and hoped McClure would receive life without parole.

At sentencing, the prosecutor emphasized that Kinsleigh should be remembered for her life rather than only the circumstances of her death.

Mears said the child was loved and that her memory should not be defined by the people responsible for what happened to her.

QUESTIONS ABOUT CHILD PROTECTION REMAIN
Although the criminal cases have now resulted in sentences for the three adults, questions surrounding how Kinsleigh’s situation went undetected for so long have not disappeared.

Kinsleigh’s father and grandfather have filed a civil lawsuit against the Indiana Department of Child Services, alleging that the agency failed to adequately respond to earlier reports concerning the child’s safety.

Those allegations are part of a separate civil proceeding and have not been established as findings of liability.

The lawsuit has nevertheless added another dimension to the case: whether intervention by authorities could have prevented Kinsleigh’s final years of abuse and neglect.

THE COURT VACATED TWO OF MCCLURE’S CONVICTIONS
There was also an important legal development during sentencing.

According to reporting based on the sentencing proceedings, Judge Snyder vacated McClure’s convictions for battery and criminal confinement after prosecutors argued that those acts were the conduct that caused Kinsleigh’s death.

The issue raised concerns about double jeopardy because McClure had already been convicted of murder based on the same underlying conduct.

Her murder conviction and life-without-parole sentence remain the central result of the case.

A CASE THAT TOOK MORE THAN TWO YEARS TO REACH ITS END
Kinsleigh’s death occurred in April 2024.

McClure was arrested shortly afterward, and the investigation eventually revealed evidence concerning the child’s prolonged confinement and severe malnutrition.

The case then moved through a lengthy legal process, including the first mistrial, the subsequent retrial and the final sentencing.

By September 24, 2026, all three adults connected to the criminal case had received prison sentences.

For Kinsleigh’s family, the sentencing ended the criminal proceedings but did not erase the questions surrounding what happened during the child’s short life.

LATEST UPDATE
As of October 5, 2026, Toni McClure is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the murder of her 5-year-old daughter, Kinsleigh Welty. Her murder conviction followed a second trial after the first proceeding ended in a mistrial.

McClure’s former boyfriend, Ryan Smith, and Kinsleigh’s grandmother, Tammy Halsey, also received 20-year sentences after pleading guilty to neglect resulting in death.

The criminal cases have therefore reached their sentencing stage, although the separate civil litigation involving Indiana’s child-protection system remains an ongoing issue.

The case has left a lasting question beyond the convictions themselves: how a 5-year-old child could remain in such severe condition for so long despite earlier involvement from child-welfare authorities.

SOURCES
WRTV — Toni McClure sentencing report