Young trial rescheduled for March

The trial date for a Portland woman charged in connection with her son’s death has been postponed.

Jay Circuit Court Judge Brian Hutchison during a pretrial conference Tuesday set a two-day trial for Jennifer F. Young, 35, Portland, for March 1 and 2. A final pretrial conference will be held Feb. 10.

Young is charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, a Level 1 felony. She also faces charges of possession of methamphetamine, a Level 5 felony, and possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.

Hayden Markle, the 3-month-old son of Jennifer Young and Ryan Markle, died March 6. An autopsy found the cause of death to be acute methamphetamine intoxication.

A separate trial for Ryan Markle on the same charges is scheduled for Jan. 4 and 5.

Portland police and Jay Emergency Medical Service were called March 6 to an upstairs apartment at 221 S. Meridian St., Portland, about a 3-month-old child who was not breathing. Hayden Markle was then transported to IU Health Jay, where he was later pronounced dead.

Indiana State Police, Indiana Department of Child Services, Jay County Coroner’s Office and Jay County Prosecutor’s Office investigated the boy’s death, resulting in the April 15 arrests of Young and Ryan Markle.

In Indiana, Level 1 felony charges carry a sentence of 20 to 40 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.