Girl Abducted, Killed After Seeing Meth Use, Police Say

Feb. 4, 2005 -- -- A suspect in the death of a southern Indiana girl told investigators the 10-year-old was abducted last week because she saw people taking part in illegal drug activity, according to court records.

Charles James Hickman, 20, allegedly told police that some people using or making methamphetamine thought Katlyn "Katie" Collman had seen them at it in their home near a store where the girl had gone to buy toilet paper, so they abducted her Jan. 25 in Crothersville and brought her to Hickman's home.

Police on Friday arrested a second man, Timothy C. O'Sullivan II, 22, on charges he lied to police when questioned about the girl's abduction.

Katie's body was found three days after an Amber Alert was issued, and five days after she first was reported missing.

Hickman was arrested Wednesday and is charged with murder and criminal confinement. He is being held in solitary confinement for his own safety, police said.

The killing was the first murder in Crothersville, a town of less than 2,000 people located 40 miles north of Louisville, Ky., in 25 years, police said.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Hickman told police that he and the people who allegedly abducted Katie wanted to intimidate the girl, so he took her to a body of water about 20 miles away. He said the girl's hands were tied, and she either fell in or was bumped into the water, where she drowned, according to the affidavit.

The Crothersville girl's body was found Sunday by a state trooper in a stream near Seymour.

Hickman made his initial court appearance today at Jackson County Courthouse in Brownstown, where he entered a plea of not guilty and was ordered held without bail. His trial was set for October.

Jackson County Prosecutor Steve Pierson said he would consider pursuing the death penalty against Hickman.

Police said Thursday that they were looking into the possibility that more than one person was involved in Katie's death, but they didn't identify anyone other than Hickman as a suspect.

"We are not satisfied with just one arrest," Indiana State Police Sgt. Jerry Goodin said. "If that's what it leads to in this case, if that's all it boils down to, then obviously we are. But if there are other people involved, then we are going to seek those other people out."