Indy Star: Inappropriate Texts To Intern Prompted DCS Assoc. Director's Resignation

A report by the Indianapolis Star sheds new light on what prompted a top official at the Department of Child Services to resign.

Todd Meyer resigned his post at the Indiana Department of Child Services on July 16, 2019. IN.gov photo.

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - Inappropriate text messages to an employee are behind the resignation of the associate director of Indiana's Department of Child Services . 

Todd Meyer left his role in July, just a day after an intern reported him to human resources, according to an Indianapolis Star story published Thursday. That intern quit the same day that she made claims that Meyer sent her inappropriate messages. 

Meyer, the former prosecutor in Boone County, Indiana, apologized for the texts in a statement Thursday.

"I should not have communicated in the manner I did. I am sorry for doing so and I apologize. I have learned from this mistake such that it will never happen again. These messages were intended to be received in a positive and friendly manner, but I now recognize they were not, and I understand. As soon as this matter was brought to my attention I spoke with my wife and children, we discussed the situation in its entirety, and we are learning and moving on from it."

Governor Eric Holcomb says he is "beyond disappointed" by the situation. 

"This was brought to the attention of the agency on one day, and was followed up, all the way up through the chain, and he resigned the very next day, as that process, that investigative process, was just starting," said Holcomb.

Aided by a large boost in funding, the Indiana Department of Child Services has made significant changes to its policies, training, and caseworker caseloads. Following an independent review of the agency two years ago, Meyer was brought on last year to help implement the reforms.

Indiana Democratic Party Chairman John Zody said another week has brought another disgraced Holcomb administration official.

"Holcomb's hand-picked hire to turn around the agency resigned in disgrace just one year later. Did the administration fail to vet Meyer or was his hiring just a political favor?" said Zody. "Either way, the governor looks like a lightweight after staking DCS’s turnaround on Meyer's hire. It’s just the latest example of a culture of cronyism fueled by little to no accountability and where the governor allows perpetrators to quietly slink away without facing consequences for their actions. All while the number of child deaths is on the rise in Indiana."