Court documents shed light on Mercedes Lain's father, Kenny Lain's, troubled past

STARKE COUNTY, Ind. – Disturbing new details emerge about Mercedes Lain’s father, Kenny Lain.

It’s been days since the 11-month-old baby was last seen.

On Tuesday, ABC57 News first told you Tiffany Coburn, Mercedes’ mother, and Justin Miller, a relative and Mercedes’ babysitter, had prior drug charges. Those charges stem from possession of methamphetamine and synthetic drugs. 

Right now, Lain, Coburn, and Miller all face charges of neglect of a dependent and are behind bars. 

Now, ABC57 Investigates is uncovering details about the past of Kenny Lain through court documents. Documents show this isn’t Kenny Lain’s first time facing neglect charges. 

Back in December of 2014, the Knox Police Department began investigating Kenny Lain and his then-wife, Mary Lain, for neglect of a dependent after their daughter, who was a minor at the time and who we are not going to name, got pregnant. 

The man who got the minor pregnant is named Angel Delapaz, who was 20-years-old when the minor was just 12. 

According to the documents, in June 2015, Delapaz was arrested for child molestation and later sentenced to eight years in the Indiana Department of Corrections. 

Meanwhile, Kenny Lain told investigators from a Starke County Jail cell, for an unrelated charge, while he knew his daughter was pregnant, he didn’t know Delapaz, said he’d never heard the name, and even said his daughter was never involved with any adults.

But the minor, Kenny’s daughter, told investigators her parents knew of her relationship with Delapaz, a relationship that she told investigators began around October of 2014. The minor also told police Delapaz would frequent the residence prior to the start of the minor’s relationship with him.

According to a police report, in November 2014, Kenny and Mary Lain allowed Delapaz to move in with them, and even allowed Delapaz to sleep in the minor’s room. 

Fast forward to September 2015, after months of interviews and investigating, court documents show Mary Lain admitted to Knox Police that Kenny Lain told her in that exchange for marijuana from Delapaz, Kenny allowed the minor to go with Delapaz.

Mary wasn’t the only one to confirm that, so did another man named Cody Byrn, who was Mary Lain’s then-boyfriend and lived in the same house as the family.

Court documents show Kenny Lain was sentenced to two years in the Starke County Justice Center in April 2016, while Mary Lain served 105 days in jail and got 24-months’ probation. 

Kenny Lain’s sentencing was part of a plea deal he took after first pleading not guilty. He changed his mind in April 2016.

ABC57 Investigates is continuously digging through court documents and police reports to learn details about who is involved in Mercedes’ disappearance. 

This is a developing story.