An Indiana prosecutor has decided not to pursue criminal charges against a woman who made a false child welfare report against former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a claim that led to a temporary separation between Buttigieg and his young children. The decision was announced in late July by E. Nelson Chipman Jr., a prosecutor in Marshall County, Indiana, where the call originated.
Chipman’s notification to state police detailed that while the woman’s false hotline tip prompted “an intrusive investigation of an innocent individual and his family,” the evidence indicated she lacked the necessary intent to support criminal prosecution. According to the prosecutor, the woman has a documented history of alcohol abuse and serious mental health issues, including hallucinations and delusional behavior, such as responding to voices only she hears and grandiose self-identification.
The profile of the caller, identified only by the initials “TJ” in the prosecutor’s communication, includes multiple recent interactions with law enforcement. During a brief visit to family in Indiana, she was reportedly involved in at least three police incidents, including a domestic battery arrest accompanied by a blood alcohol concentration four times above the legal limit.
The incident surfaced publicly in June, when Michigan authorities acted on the report amidst vague and unverified claims. Michigan State Police records show that the tip contained limited information and that the anonymity of the caller was preserved by Indiana child welfare officials, who did not provide her identity to Michigan counterparts. Efforts to identify the caller took several days, by which time Buttigieg had publicly addressed the matter.
Following the report, Buttigieg was temporarily prohibited from being alone with his 4-year-old twins until forensic interviews were completed. During this period, the children stayed with their grandparents nearby. Buttigieg characterized the episode as “the ugliest thing” of his public service career in a Substack post.
A spokesman for Buttigieg did not comment on the prosecutorial decision but reiterated the family’s pursuit of answers and accountability regarding the case. Meanwhile, the Michigan Attorney General’s office has launched an ongoing investigation into both the original allegation and the subsequent handling of the case. A spokesperson for the office emphasized that prior to removing children from their parents, due diligence is required to verify the credibility and source of complaints.
Attempts to reach the woman for comment were unsuccessful. Earlier conversations revealed she was unable to answer basic questions regarding her claims but confirmed having made reports about Buttigieg to authorities. She has since returned to Alabama, where she resides in a halfway house following an eviction from a treatment facility.
The prosecutor acknowledged the possibility that the woman might file additional complaints in the future, describing the entire situation as “regrettable.”