Cape Girardeau women plead guilty to child endangerment

Two Cape Girardeau mothers pleaded guilty to felony child endangerment charges Monday at the Cape Girardeau County courthouse in Jackson.

In one case involving filthy living conditions, Karen J. Clark, 40, of 215 Pearl St., pleaded guilty to an original felony charge and received five years probation on a suspended imposition of sentence.

Reviewing photos of trash strewn across the living room floor and a bucket of urine and feces stored under the kitchen sink, Circuit Judge William Syler said, "There are probably pig stys in better shape than this."

Clark cited broken plumbing and a $1,600 water bill as the reasons why her six children and Cedric C. Moore, the children's father, used large buckets instead of toilets. The family lived without running water for more than a year, she said, stating that her landlord was aware of the conditions and did nothing to repair the plumbing.

Moore also faces a single count of felony child endangerment. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing before Associate Circuit Judge Scott Thomsen on Dec. 27.

In September, social workers and police visited Clark and Moore's home and found large quantities of trash, a bucket used as a toilet, broken furniture and mice droppings near a bare mattress.

Child overmedicated

Holly K. Hency, 26, of 1918 Sherwood pleaded guilty Monday to first-degree felony child endangerment for overmedicating her child. Syler ordered a presentencing investigation and set sentencing for Jan. 30.

Hency was accused in October of giving her 3-year-old son dangerous amounts of an anti-seizure medication. Through last summer, she repeatedly took her son, Austin, to the emergency rooms at Southeast Missouri Hospital and Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis. On some occasions, near-toxic levels of Depakote were found in Austin's bloodstream, while at other times levels were too low.

Austin was placed in foster care in July.

In two other cases involving filthy living conditions, one mother pleaded guilty to lesser charges, while a second mother faces another hearing.

* Charged with one count of felony child endangerment, Melanie R. Brooks, 26, of 1827 Big Bend, was ordered Monday to appear for a case review on Dec. 27. She and her husband, Denver Brooks, 24, were charged following a June 22 visit to their home by police and workers from the Missouri Child Division, during which they found trash piled high, no gas or water service, a major infestation of roaches and rotting food sitting out on the counter.

Denver Brooks pleaded guilty Nov. 28 to the reduced charge of misdemeanor child endangerment. Circuit Judge Benjamin Lewis ordered a presentencing investigation and set sentencing for Jan. 9.

* Originally charged with felony second-degree child endangerment, Charleen R. Hinkle, 40, of 3018 Mimosa, Apt. 1, pleaded guilty Nov. 7 to the reduced charge of misdemeanor child endangerment for allowing her two children to live in unsanitary and unhealthy conditions. Police and social workers found large amounts of trash in their home.

jmetelski@semissourian.com