Call to child abuse hotline results in probation

Thursday, May 14, 2009

BY KATHY FAIRCHILD/Staff writer

Ashley M. Neel, 22, of Slater, pleaded guilty to filing a false report of child abuse in Associate Circuit Court Wednesday, May 13.

Neel is accused of placing a telephone call to the child abuse hotline of Saline County Division of Child Services in November 2008 and making false allegations of child abuse. The false report, a class A misdemeanor, carries a possible sentence of one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.

Judge James T. "Tut" Bellamy sentenced Neel to two years court-supervised probation on condition of no contact with the victim. Courts costs of $116.50 must be paid by August 19; restitution to Slater Police Department of $68 for their cost of pursuing the false call must also be paid by an unspecified date.

Contact Kathy Fairchild at marshallhealth@socket.net

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Considering that in most states, a "registered sex offender" may never have actually assaulted a child (or anyone), I would say that merely being a registered offender doesn't meet the "child abuse" criteria.

Further, if the offender is under supervision of any sort (probation or parole), you can be sure that their probation officer is aware that they are living with a child and would have approved of it. If they're not under supervision, they don't have any restrictions on whether they can live with a child (their's or anyone else's!) Stop treating sex offenders as if they had the plague. I'd rather we had a registry telling me whether or not a former burglar lived next door - they are far more likely to reoffend than a sex offender!

In addition, since many mothers use false child abuse allegations in custody hearings, I'm glad that someone is being called to the carpet for a false allegation. SOMEONE has to protect father's rights!

-- Posted by koeller77 on Mon, May 18, 2009, at 10:00 AM

If you call the abuse hotline, nothing fits their criteria! I've called on 2 different people because registered sex offender's living in their homes and was told it doesn't fit their criteria! They asked me if the children were being abused at that moment, so evidently registered child sex offenders can live in a home with a child and nothing happen to the offender. I even called the State Highway Patrol and reported the registered sex offender living there and they said there's nothing they can do! It's very frustrating to know a child is put in danger and there's nothing being done. I think the child abuse hotline should change their criteria to protect the child.

-- Posted by mosthonest1 on Fri, May 15, 2009, at 8:43 AM

Its about time that the people making false child abuse reports (usually just to get back at someone) get in trouble.

-- Posted by landreth on Thu, May 14, 2009, at 10:20 AM

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