Indiana woman, wife charged with murder of 10-year-old brother found with makeup covering injuries

LAKE COUNTY, Ind. (Chicago Tribune) -- A Merrillville, Ind. woman has been charged with killing her 10-year-old brother.

Married couple April Lynn Kuchta Wright and Rachel Rose Wright, both 26, were each charged on Oct. 23 with one count of murder, aggravated battery, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, and battery of a person less than 14 years old.

Merrillville Police found Leviticus “Levi” Kuchta dead in the couple's Fillmore Court home, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Levi, who had makeup covering puncture wounds on his face, was riddled with injuries in various degrees of infection and healing to his head, hands, arm, back, groin, leg and ankles, records said. Two of the injuries -- a dislocated jaw and spine -- rendered him unable to walk or talk before his death, records said.

Neighbors told police Child Protective Services had been to the residence many times over the past few years, records said.

The Times of Northwest Indiana reports April Wright's 3-year-old son was removed from their home by Child Protective Services, police said.

April Wright, who previously was known as April Kuchta, was convicted in 2011 of luring a 17-year-old boy to her Valparaiso home, placing him in handcuffs at knifepoint and sexually assaulting him in February 2011, the Times of Northwest Indiana reports. And she is currently serving a year on probation for pepper-spraying an ex-girlfriend in the face during an attack in January 2019 at a Hobart motel room, court records show.

MORE:

• Slain 10-year-old's wounds covered in makeup, possibly to disguise deep punctures, court records allege - Times of Northwest Indiana