INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Animal Care Services says it will not reveal the location of a pet monkey that escaped back in the fall.
On Friday, the city said it was keeping that information secret to protect the patas monkey known as Momo.
On Thursday, 13 Investigates learned the monkey’s owner admitted to one charge, and a second charge was dismissed. The charge Hoang “Wayne” Pham agreed to is "animal at large chase" and "attack a person with injury." Pham also agreed to pay a $500 penalty.
When 13 Investigates asked about the monkey’s whereabouts, IACS first said it had “no comment.”
13 Investigates then asked if the monkey was still alive, and a spokesperson for the city wrote, “IACS can confirm that Momo is still alive and well. To protect Momo’s safety, we will not be commenting further about his location.”
An attorney who represents the monkey’s owner responded.
“He’s not a baby escaping an abusive situation,” attorney Todd Sallee said. “That’s an utterly ridiculous statement … If they had actual concern for his safety, they wouldn’t have taken him impromptu without having a facility for him.”
On Oct. 4, 2023, the family told 13 Investigates Momo escaped their Indianapolis home while he was in the backyard for a trim. They report the monkey was playing and then jumped over their six-foot fence. Indianapolis police and IACS joined in the search, which lasted 12 hours.
On the morning of Oct. 5, Momo was reported captured after breaking into a vacant home. Pham’s brother, Alex Nguyen, said he was the one who captured the primate. IMPD released a photo of the brother holding Momo next to a smiling police officer.
Shortly after that photo was taken, Nguyen said he asked an IACS worker for help getting Momo back to his car. Nguyen said he handed his car keys to the city worker to bring the vehicle around.
"He pulled off, then pulled back around," Nguyen said. "He said, 'Hey, man, I can't take your property.' I said, 'OK, that's fine.' So he said, 'You could just put him in my cage in the truck.' I say, 'OK, that's fine' because I'm thinking he's gonna drive me back to the house or my car. You know what I mean?"
Instead, the family says the worker impounded Momo.
Shortly after, it was reported the monkey was taken to the Indianapolis Zoo to be evaluated by veterinarians. A few weeks later, the family reached out to 13 Investigates to report the city was not returning the primate.
The family sent a cease-and-desist letter to the deputy director of Indianapolis Animal Care Services (IACS), stating "the agency unlawfully took possession of Momo by trick or subterfuge."
They later threatened to sue, but the family’s attorney now says the lawsuit is not moving forward.