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Lazer UPDATE: July 6, 2012

Mother jailed after kids removed

A Warren County woman is in the Warren County Regional Jail today in lieu of a $100,000 bond after being charged with felony child abuse in connection with 19 children being removed Monday from her rental home.

Jackie Farah, 32, 130 Kingston Way, was arrested by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office at 4:18 p.m. Tuesday after the 19 children – one as young as 8 months old – were removed from the one-story, five-bedroom house late Monday night after someone asked that authorities check the welfare of those in the house.

Farah is charged with 14 counts of first-degree criminal abuse (child 12 or under) and five counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, according to a release from the sheriff’s office. The release added that other people are being sought for questioning.

The children are stair-stepped in age up to 14 years old, authorities and neighbors said.

Her preliminary hearing will be 9 a.m. Monday before Warren County District Judge Brent Potter, said Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney Chris Cohron. Cohron said additional charges may be pursued against Farah when the case is presented to a Warren County grand jury, if Potter rules Monday there is probable cause to proceed.

Cohron said under Kentucky law, if convicted, Farah could face a 20-year maximum sentence.

“How those kids were not injured is beyond me,” Detective Tim Robinson, the sheriff’s office’s lead investigator in the case, said today.

Robinson said officials are sorting out to whom the children belong. Two of the custodial mothers have been staying at Hometown Suites since Tuesday, when they were contacted by the sheriff’s office concerning the children.

The children are also from several states, Robinson said, which complicates custodial issues.

“If they are from another state, Kentucky child services can’t check on them” if they are released to other parents, he said. Closed hearings were set for today in family court to explore those issues, he said.

Original story:

19 children removed from home after being alone for a week;

Nineteen children ranging from 8 months to 14 years old were removed from a Warren County home late Monday following a check welfare call from a neighbor.

The children had been left alone in the home for about a week, according to a news release from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.

An image of the home at 130 Kingston Way taken Tuesday morning after 19 children ranging in age from 8-months-old to 12-years-old were removed late Monday night. The children had been left alone in the home for about a week, according to a news release from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office. (Photo by Miranda Pederson/Daily News)While the four-bedroom house was not unlivable, the situation set off alarm bells for authorities, Deputy Robert Smith said.

“It was what we didn’t see,” Smith said. “There was no food, the temperature was over 90 degrees and there was a lack of beds for the kids.”

A felony investigation is ongoing.

“I think what we will be looking at is criminal neglect under the criminal abuse statute,” Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney Chris Cohron said. “The possible charges in this investigation may range from endangering the welfare of a minor up to, depending on the condition of the children, criminal abuse first degree.”

The custodial parents were out of state, Smith said.

Deputies expect to make contact with the adult caregivers today, Cohron said.

Smith would not identify the parents’ ages or what state they were in when contacted by authorities. Smith did say the parents had been living in Warren County for several months.

Warren County Sheriff’s Office deputies removed the children, nine dogs and a cat from 130 Kingston Way at just after 11:30 p.m. Monday, according to the release.

The children were all taken to The Medical Center for treatment and then placed into the protective custody of the Kentucky Department for Health and Family Services, the release said.

By CHUCK MASON
The Daily News, Bowling Green