Woman charged with Identity Deception after report to DCS
Posted: Mar 9, 2026 9:54 PM EDT
St. Joseph Superior Court ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- St. Joseph County prosecutors have charged 45-year-old Gloria Niedbalski with Identity Deception, a Level Six Felony, and False Informing, a Misdemeanor.
Officials state Niedbalski made a call to the Indiana Department of Child Services hotline claiming St. Joseph County Councilwoman Amy Drake's two children were home alone in early December.
Drake was at a County Council meeting in New Carlisle while the call was made.
Police say Niedbalski claimed to be Drake's elderly neighbor who they later learned hasn't lived there in more than two years.
Police later traced the call back to her family business.
Records show the call came from her phone, even though she denied making the call.
Drake's husband and two older children were home at the time of the call.
