- Makala Pendley, 30, was found dead in Chiapas, Mexico, after disappearing with her seven children for more than three months.
- Authorities stated her death was due to blunt force trauma, and she was six months pregnant at the time.
- Joseph Jude Butler Jr., the father of Pendley's children, has been arrested in connection with her death, facing charges for femicide.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA — Weeks after an Indiana woman died after a fight with a Tim Hortons manager over a drive-thru order, another Indiana case has ended in tragedy far from home. This time, a pregnant Indianapolis mother was found dead in Mexico months after she disappeared with her seven children.
Makala Pendley, 30, was found dead Monday in a ditch in a village in Chiapas, southern Mexico. Local officials said she had been killed and that her death was caused by a traumatic brain injury from blunt force trauma.
Missing for More Than Three Months
Pendley and her seven children were reported missing on February 25 by a Department of Child Services case manager.
Her children were identified in reports as Nikola, 12; Joseph, 10; Aubrielle, 8; Orion, 7; Earthum, 5; Polaris, 3; and 1-year-old Azrael.
Indianapolis police later said Pendley and the children had been located in Mexico last month. The children were taken into custody by Mexican authorities at one point but were later released back to Pendley.
Found Dead in Chiapas
Authorities said Pendley was found in Chiapas after being in the ditch for about eight to 12 hours.
Local officials said she was six months pregnant at the time of her death.
Her family said they were told she had been violently attacked. Pendley’s sister, Jennifer Lambert, later created a GoFundMe and described the killing as devastating for the family.
Children Found Safe
Officials said Pendley’s seven children were found alive and in good health in the San Cristóbal de las Casas area.
Authorities have not released many details about who is currently caring for the children or what will happen next in their custody case.
For Pendley’s family, the relief of knowing the children survived has come with the pain of losing their mother.
Father of Children Arrested
Joseph Jude Butler Jr., the father of Pendley’s children, was arrested in connection with the case.
Mexican officials said they are seeking the maximum sentence of 100 years in what they described as a femicide case.
Authorities also said Butler had previously been detained for several crimes, including robbery, fraud, assault, and rape. Officials said he also had an active arrest warrant in Alaska.
Family Says Relationship Was Toxic
Pendley’s relatives said she had been in an on-and-off relationship with Butler since she was a teenager.
Her sister said Pendley had gone to Mexico with her children and Butler earlier this year because she feared losing custody of her kids.
Reports also said court documents from Mexico claimed Pendley had been assaulted by Butler in Yucatan in August 2025.
Pendley’s sister Maurica Lambert said she was shocked that Butler had been named as the suspect. She said her sister did not deserve what happened and that the loss has left a hole in the family that will never be filled.
The case remains under investigation in Mexico as prosecutors move forward.
To view more cases involving missing mothers, domestic violence, and families searching for justice, check out our video here:
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