HUNTINGTON, Ind. — A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Cynthia M. Clore, 60, a Huntington resident and employee of the Indiana Department of Child Services, officials said after a local investigation concluded an anonymous abuse assessment submitted to DCS last year was false.
Allegations, investigation and local reaction
Marion police were contacted in late January after a man told officers he believed an anonymous Assessment of Alleged Child Abuse or Neglect filed to the DCS hotline in November 2025 had been written by his ex-wife, according to court records. The assessment named the man, his adopted daughter and the child’s maternal grandmother and alleged the girl was being neglected and had been taken to a hospital despite having no medical problem.
Grant County DCS investigators later determined the claims in the anonymous report were unfounded and that there were no safety concerns for the child, the court documents state. The maternal grandmother told investigators she thought the report was “crazy” and that she believed it had been made by the man’s ex-wife.
“The report was ‘crazy’ and she believed it had been made by the man’s ex-wife,”
Court papers indicate the man who complained to police said the wording of the assessment closely matched text messages his ex-wife had sent to her brother during a separation in July 2025. He also said Clore completed a reference form for him in fall 2024 in which she wrote favorably about his care of the child.
Possible motive and context
The man told investigators he filed for divorce in June 2025 and that, during the divorce process, Clore had made what he described as unrealistic settlement demands through her attorney. When the divorce was finalized, he says his financial obligation was limited to $1,500. He told authorities he believed the combination of lingering resentment from the divorce and a dislike for the grandmother may have motivated the alleged false report, according to court documents.
| Key dated events | Timing |
|---|---|
| Reference form praising the man and child | Fall 2024 |
| Separation messages referenced in documents | July 2025 |
| Divorce filed | June 2025 |
| Anonymous assessment submitted to DCS hotline | November 2025 |
| Marion police contact and investigation | Late January 2026 |
Why this matters for the county and the state
Allegations that a DCS worker used agency reporting channels to lodge a false complaint raise questions about the integrity of intake processes and the safeguards that prevent weaponizing child-welfare systems during personal disputes. False reports can consume investigative resources, disrupt children’s lives and erode public confidence in a system intended to protect vulnerable young people.
- Grant County DCS investigators found no safety issues stemming from the report.
- The man who notified police cited similarities between the anonymous report and private messages his ex-wife sent in July 2025.
- Court documents connect the dispute to divorce proceedings and settlement negotiations in 2025.
The warrant for Clore’s arrest was issued as the result of the investigation outlined in court documents; officials have not released additional comment about charges or next steps. The case underscores ongoing concerns for oversight and accountability in child-welfare reporting at both the county and state levels.
As the case moves through the legal process, local families and child-welfare advocates may look for clarity on how intake reports are validated and what protections exist to prevent misuse of the hotline and assessment procedures.
