Guilty pleas in child endangerment case

Wednesday, November 4, 2009
By KATHY FAIRCHILD/Staff Writer

Belinda L. Bargfrede, 35, and William F. Bargfrede, 40, both of Marshall, pleaded guilty in Associate Court Wednesday, Nov. 4, to two counts of class A misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child in the second degree. A third count was dismissed.

Both took Alford pleas, in which the defendants admit no guilt, but acknowledge the prosecuting attorney is likely able to convince a judge or jury, with available evidence, of their guilt.

The Bargefredes were charged in connection with several incidents that took place in August, when Marshall police were called repeatedly to locations at or near the Bargfrede residence because their children appeared to be unsupervised.

According to a police report filed with the probable cause statement, in one incident, two minor children, unaccompanied by an adult, were observed darting in and out of traffic on South Odell Avenue. In another, a child was observed outside the door of the Bargfrede residence, screaming to be allowed to come inside, and was later observed playing outside, occasionally running into traffic, with no one watching her. In a third incident, two youngsters were playing inside a parked truck, again unsupervised.

Each was sentenced to two years of court-supervised probation, suspended imposition of sentence.

www.marshallnews.com/story/1284774.html

Contact Kathy Fairchild at marshallhealth@socket.net

Comments

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Okay because we live in Communist China now, who will decide what standards will be on that test? Will we also attempt to limit how many children a couple can have and what sex the children must be?

I'd say a better thing to do would be to educate all people in the use of birth control and make the parents having all of these kids on tax payers dollars, get a job and take care of them. Maybe even throw in a disipline class for new parents, but then again you'd just get someone standing up there telling everyone never to touch your child no matter what, so????

The third thing to do is remove the earned income credit for having all of these children, alot out of wedlock, and quit rewarding people to have more children than they can handle. I know people that don't work, set on welfare and get back $4000.00 from the government for being poor and having lots of kids. Now that's smart government!!

-- Posted by Gumby on Thu, Nov 5, 2009, at 4:21 PM

I think people should have to pass a test to have children, and prove that they can support them financially. You have to get a license to get married, but anyone can have kids...as many as they want. The Bargfredes are nice enough,but cannot take care of the kids they have. Lets hope they do not have anymore!

-- Posted by tommob on Thu, Nov 5, 2009, at 1:10 PM

Parents usually parent as they have been parented. My guess is that this has been going on for years; in fact, I know it has. Whoever notified the police is a hero in my book. And hopefully there have been some hotline calls over the years...

-- Posted by ADVOCATE on Thu, Nov 5, 2009, at 10:49 AM

Parents usually parent as they have been parented. My guess is that this has been going on for years; in fact, I know it has. Whoever notified the police is a hero in my book.

-- Posted by ADVOCATE on Thu, Nov 5, 2009, at 10:41 AM

Very simple....don't have children if you don't intend to be a parent.

-- Posted by slmky on Thu, Nov 5, 2009, at 8:13 AM

Okay Kathy, then warm the backsides of the parents for not warming the backside of their children???

-- Posted by Gumby on Thu, Nov 5, 2009, at 12:09 AM

Reader101: I don't think that's an automatic action, and it wasn't mentioned at the hearing today.

-- Posted by Kathy Fairchild on Wed, Nov 4, 2009, at 8:32 PM

The State of Missouri has low standards for parents:(:(:(.

-- Posted by mama11 on Wed, Nov 4, 2009, at 7:56 PM

No mention of these children being taken out of the home. When you are sentenced to probation for child neglect, do you lose custody of your children?

-- Posted by Reader101 on Wed, Nov 4, 2009, at 7:24 PM

gets their attention, i had mine warmed and i turned out ok!

-- Posted by ASBS on Wed, Nov 4, 2009, at 5:33 PM

Gumby: How would "warming the backsides of the kids" get them better supervision?

-- Posted by Kathy Fairchild on Wed, Nov 4, 2009, at 4:45 PM

If I am correct, I could be wrong, these kids are under the age of middle school. I think the oldest is around the age of 10.

-- Posted by get a clue on Wed, Nov 4, 2009, at 4:20 PM

What ever happened to warming the backside of kids?

-- Posted by Gumby on Wed, Nov 4, 2009, at 4:17 PM

I am wondering the ages of these children.

-- Posted by granny08 on Wed, Nov 4, 2009, at 3:58 PM