Former IMPD officer admitted to molesting two children at his home, state police say

DISCLAIMER: This story contains brief mention of suicide and child sexual abuse.

NEW PALESTINE, Ind. (WISH) — Indiana State Police have shared further information regarding the case of a former Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer accused of child molestation.

Prosecutors charged on Thursday David McDaniel with two counts of child molesting and one count of attempting to commit child molesting, fondling, or touching with a child under 14.

McDaniel is a retired police officer, formerly employed with IMPD, the Bureau of Alcohol and Firearms Task Force, and Anderson Police – Ascension St. Vincent. According to his LinkedIn, McDaniel retired from IMPD in 2024.

Indiana State Police opened its investigation into the former police officer on July 9 after being notified of a child sexual abuse case involving multiple juveniles.

According to a probable cause affidavit, police spoke with two victims and their parents over the following days. Both victims, who were friends with McDaniel’s child, claimed McDaniel has sexually abused them at his home in New Palestine when they were younger.

McDaniel also reportedly assaulted the victims while on vacations in Florida and Tennessee, police say.

The victims were between the ages of 8 – 10 when the assaults took place. During this time frame, McDaniel was employed with IMPD.

Court documents say they had confided in each other about the abuse after it happened, but did not tell anyone else until “recently,” when they told McDaniel’s daughter. The daughter informed her mother, McDaniel’s ex-wife, who then gathered the families together to discuss the assaults.

After contacting McDaniel, detectives say McDaniel confessed to the assaults over the phone with his brother.

In speaking with the brother, investigators learned McDaniel said he would commit suicide over the allegations, as he believed “there was no way out for him” and “there aren’t many options (left) for him.”

On July 17, officers searched McDaniel’s home to seize items related to the investigation. Then, on July 22, ISP officers surveilling his house saw him leave in a black Lexus. Officers conducted a traffic stop, and took McDaniel into custody.

While searching his vehicle, detectives found McDaniel’s “Last Will and Testament” sitting in the front passenger’s seat.

McDaniel was still an inmate at the Hancock County jail on Saturday afternoon. His case will go to trial on Nov. 18.

Mental health resources

• Be Well Indiana
• Indiana Suicide Prevention
• Indiana Department of Child Services’ Children’s Mental Health Initiative
• National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 or 800-273-8255
• More resources

Help is available for victims of domestic violence. Below is a list of suggested resources on the Domestic Violence Network website:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788
• National Domestic Violence Hotline en español: 800-799-7233 o texto “START” al 88788
• Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence: 24-hour hotline available at 800-332-7385
• Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking
• La Plaza Indy
• The Julian Center
• Indiana Child Abuse Hotline: 800-800-5556
• National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-4673

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