TOP STORY OF THE DAY: Indiana Women’s Prison Wee Ones Program Renamed in Honor of Fallen IMPD Officer Breann Leath

Indianapolis, Ind - On the day IMPD Officer Breann Leath was laid to rest Governor Eric Holcomb announced the Wee Ones Nursery at the Indiana Women’s Prison would be renamed as the ‘Officer Breann Leath Memorial Maternal & Child Health Unit.’

The announcement was made by Gov. Eric Holcomb at the beginning of his daily coronavirus pandemic press briefing at 2:30 Thursday afternoon in his Statehouse office. Prior to inviting Dept. of Correction Commissioner Rob Carter to speak, Governor Holcomb spoke to Ofc. Leath being an incredible human being, who also had a profound impact on everyone she came in contact with. Gov. Holcomb also spoke about her influence on fellow coworkers as well as offenders during her service as a correctional officer at the Indiana Women’s Prison. Commissioner Carter then spoke to Breann’s commitment to the babies born at the women’s prison and how she helped care for them as though they were her own.

Then Comm. Carter and the IDOC Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kristina Dauss made the name change official with the presentation of a memorial poster with Breann’s picture proclaiming the new name of the child health unit. Most fitting about today’s announcement was that today, April 16, 2020 was the 12th anniversary of the unit’s opening; a fitting tribute to the memory of Officer Breann Leath.

Later in the afternoon several of Breann’s former co-workers from the IDOC visited her patrol car and participated in the community balloon release to commemorate Breann’s life and commitment to public service. Among those to attend was a current IDOC employee, Maggie Bryant, who serves as the Indiana Women’s Prison Pubic Information Officer.

Ms. Bryant commented, “Officer Leath was a true example of an officer dedicated not only to safety and security of the prison infant unit, but also exemplified the goal to help incarcerated women become good mothers before leaving prison by making the IDOC mission her mission.” Ms. Bryant concluded, “All of us who knew Breann were heartbroken over her senseless death and want her family and IMPD coworkers to know Breann will not be forgotten.”