Two Berne residents have been charged with neglect of a dependent after their 2-year-old child died from extended exposure to extreme heat, according to court documents obtained Thursday.
Sintia Perez, 21, and Jace M. Hirschy, 23, have been charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death and two lesser neglect of a dependent charges.
Their arrests follow the death of their 2-year-old daughter Nov. 27. Their two other children °®¶¹app“ ages 3 and 5 °®¶¹app“ were taken from the home to protect their health and safety, Adams County Officer James Newbold wrote in a probable cause affidavit.
Hirschy called the Adams County sheriff°®¶¹app™s office to request medical assistance about 3:30 p.m. The child°®¶¹app™s body was lying in a °®¶¹appœvery soiled°®¶¹app crib in a closet in the home°®¶¹app™s main bedroom, the affidavit said.
Newbold said he immediately noticed it was much hotter in the closet than the room, and trash and feces were on the floor.
Temperature readings ranged from about 85 degrees on the floor to 109 degrees at the ceiling. The temperature of the girl°®¶¹app™s body was 109 degrees on the first reading and was then 102 degrees when tested with a different device about 45 minutes after police arrived, the affidavit said.
While officers collected evidence, Perez went to the hospital after saying she needed to go, the affidavit said.
When investigators interviewed Perez, she said the 2-year-old was placed in a crib about 7 p.m. the day before. A space heater in the closet was turned on, the affidavit said.
Perez told police she woke up about 12:30 p.m. Perez and Hirschy were home all day, but neither checked on the child until after 3 p.m. Hirschy soon after called police, the affidavit said.
An autopsy showed that the 2-year-old died of hyperthermia, or overheating of the body.
The Department of Child Services removed the other children, who had lice, from the home after investigators saw the °®¶¹appœextremely unhealthy°®¶¹app conditions of the apartment, the affidavit said.
Newbold said it was difficult to navigate the apartment because of the clutter and filth. A pot on the stove contained mold and flies.
The children°®¶¹app™s bedding was filthy, the affidavit said.
Perez and Hirschy have a jury trial scheduled for March 7 in Adams Circuit Judge Chad Kukelhan°®¶¹app™s court.
If convicted of all charges, the parents would face up to 45 years in prison.
