GARY | Jada Justice's 18-year-old baby sitter appeared to be under the influence of some sort of substance the night she reported the 2-year-old girl missing, Gary police Cmdr. Anthony Titus said Tuesday.
"We know there was something she was intoxicated with," Titus said, without going into further detail. "I can't say it was cocaine, but there was something. ... It was obvious."
But police will never know for sure because they never tested the baby sitter, Engelica Castillo, Titus said.
He said police feared any tests would have meant stopping the interview, strapping handcuffs on the girl and getting her to consent to be tested. And that could have meant a lack of cooperation in trying to find the toddler, who remained missing Tuesday, one week after the initial report.
Castillo couldn't be reached for comment following multiple attempts Tuesday.
"Our concern was with finding the missing child," Titus said of why police failed to test her for the use of any substances.
Castillo, who initially was held by Gary police as a person of interest, later was released without being charged.
Titus said Castillo also has been interviewed by Hobart police and the FBI.
Castillo, who had been baby-sitting the Portage toddler in Hobart, reported Jada missing on the night of June 16.
She told Gary police she had driven from her Hobart home to the Glen Park Gas station, at the intersection of Louisiana and Ridge Road in Gary, to buy some milk and cigarettes.
Jada, who was left inside the car, was missing when Castillo came out of the grocery store after making her purchases, she reported to police.
Titus said Gary police have sent via computer a nationwide notice of Jada's disappearance to other police agencies.
He said a meeting Monday among local police, Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter, the FBI and the U.S. attorney's office went well but he would not elaborate further.
"We wanted to make sure everybody is on board with the communication. ... We want to make sure that everyone who needs to be involved is involved," Titus said.
Investigators, who on Friday sought information from the public, did receive quite a few leads, he said.
"We're still following any leads, and we're still doing searches," Titus said.
Police are asking anyone who has information about the case to call (800) CALL-FBI.
