Around The Region

Missing Indiana boy found napping in \nhis room\nCEDAR LAKE, Ind. -- Minutes after at least 15 police officers, a police dog and a helicopter began searching for a missing 3-year-old boy, he was found unharmed and asleep in a cardboard box in his room.\nThe northwest Indiana boy's parents lost track of the child while doing yard work Friday afternoon and called police, Lake County Police Chief Miguel Arredondo said. Within minutes, police joined parents in the search.\nAbout 20 minutes after the search began, the boy was discovered sleeping in a box in his room. The boy apparently had wandered inside unnoticed while his parents were doing yard work, Arredondo said.\nIt was the second false alarm in a month involving a report of a missing Lake County child. In the earlier case, a boy who couldn't be found during a game of hide and seek was quickly discovered sleeping behind a couch.\nA recent hike in child abductions and attempted kidnappings has heightened parents' fears, Arredondo said. In Lake County, anxiety increased because of reports Thursday of two men sought for possible enticement of children in Dyer and Schererville.\nCongressman to return contribution from WorldCom\nMUNCIE -- An Indiana Congressman announced he will return a campaign contribution from embattled telecommunications giant WorldCom Inc. after being challenged to do so by his opponent in the upcoming election.\nU.S. Rep. Mike Pence, R-6th District, received the $1,000 contribution from WorldCom's political action committee last December, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.\nExecutives from the now-bankrupt WorldCom were arrested last week on corporate fraud charges. Since 1989, the company contributed $7.5 million to federal candidates and parties, according to FEC reports and research by the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan research group.\nPence told The Star Press for a story Saturday that he was unaware of the contribution. He later confirmed the contribution with his campaign finance director, Ron Arnold, who said the campaign will refund the money.\nThe contribution came during a fund-raiser with the congressman last December, Arnold said.\nMelina Fox, Pence's Democratic opponent, had challenged his campaign to return the money from WorldCom. Pence told The Star Press he was unaware of Fox's criticism.\nHomicide cited in death at state home\nFORT WAYNE -- The apparent beating death of a resident of a state home for developmentally disabled people was a homicide, the Allen County coroner ruled.\nJohn P. Reed, a 16-year resident of Fort Wayne State Developmental Center, died at a local hospital June 9 after being wounded at the center.\nCoroner E. Jon Brandenberger had earlier determined that blunt-force trauma was the cause of death. He waited for further investigation before declaring the case a homicide on Friday.\nNo arrests have been made in Reed's death. But Indiana State Police were continuing to interview residents and staff at center, said Master Trooper Rodger Popplewell, an ISP spokesman.\nThe Fort Wayne Developmental Center houses adults with mental retardation, autism or other developmental disabilities. Reed died at Parkview Hospital from a torn pancreas, ruptured intestines, a punctured lung, broken ribs and other internal injuries, hospital officials said in June.