
By Staff Reports
JohnsonCityPress.com
webstaff@johnsoncitypress.com
Two more people have been charged in connection an abuse and neglect case involving five children who investigators found living in squalor near Jonesborough, Washington County Sheriff Ed Graybeal said today in a news release.
Investigators arrested Leona Patricia Bentler, 41, 147 Miller Drive, charging her with six counts of child abuse and neglect after additional information was obtained from follow up interviews with witnesses, victims and suspects involved in the case, the sheriff said.
Investigators also summoned Roberta Sauls, 57, same address, on charges of criminal responsibility for the conduct of another in reference to 5 counts of aggravated child abuse, child neglect or endangerment.
Bentler was a friend to both Robert H. Simons III and Mary E. Tittle, the children's parents, who had previously been charged in the case. Sauls is the grandmother of the five children. Both lived at the same address as Simons and Tittle at the time of the abuse.
Authorities elevated the charges against Simons and Tittle on Thursday in a Sessions Court hearing. Both parents are now charged with five counts of aggravated child abuse — which had previously been five counts of child abuse — due to the condition of the children, Assistant District Attorney General Erin McArdle said after the hearing.
Jim Lonon, Tittle’s attorney, first announced his request for a competency exam, then Assistant Public Defender Ivan Lily, representing Simons, joined the motion.
Judge Robert Lincoln granted those requests and reset the preliminary hearing for July 6.
He said the couple will remained jailed on the same bond — $50,000 each — until the hearing.
Authorities went to the Miller Road address a week ago to investigate the educational neglect of the siblings, ages 7-13.
But once investigators arrived, they discovered the children living on a bus and in a camper in the front yard. Neither had running water or bathrooms and were sparse living arrangements for the children, investigators said.
The yard was strewn with trash and the children were using it as a bathroom, according to WCSO Investigator Jared Taylor.
The children had never been to school and could not read or write.
One of the children, a 10-year-old girl, was suffering from stage 3-4 renal failure that had apparently been diagnosed several years ago, Taylor said.
The child was supposed to be on medication for the kidney ailment but it was unknown if she had been getting the proper treatment.
McArdle said the girl is out of the hospital now, but still requires treatment.
Investigators said the family had moved around a lot — apparently in an attempt to avoid detection by law enforcement. Taylor said when authorities began to ask questions about the children, the family would move.
Anyone who wants to donate money for the children can write checks to the Children’s Advocacy Center and note the money is earmarked for the five Jonesborough children.
Send checks to P.O. Box 827, Johnson City, TN 37605.
To contribute items, call 926-6528 to arrange delivery of those donations.
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