Mary E. Tittle & Robert H. Simmons charged after 5 children found living in filth

[Whisper]

Still not alot yet on this

JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (AP) — Authorities in Washington County have charged two people with child abuse and neglect after five children were found living in filth without running water and who could not read or write.

According to a police news release, 53-year-old Robert H. Simmons III and 37-year-old Mary E. Tittle are in jail on $50,000 bonds each and all five children were placed in foster care.
The sheriff’s office estimated the children, ranging between 7- and 13-years-old, had not bathed in more two weeks and that they had never attended school. One girl had an infection caused by a rat bite and was also in renal failure, but no medication or treatment was given for her condition.
[...]http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20100426/NEWS01/100426029/1002/rss

[badfish76]

One girl had an infection caused by a rat bite and was also in renal failure, but no medication or treatment was given for her condition.

Oh to hell with these "people"!

That is just so sad and wrong I don't even have words to express the way I feel!!

[Tundratot]

without running water and who could not read or write.
had not bathed in more two weeks and that they had never attended school.

How very colonial. Living in the wrong century, man! Free to be ignorant! (But maybe your kids don't want to be.)

[Whisper]

Five children living in 'deplorable' conditions removed from Jonesborough house, bus; two adults arrested
A Jonesborough couple formerly of Pennsylvania were charged Thursday with the neglect and abuse of five siblings living in what investigators called some of the most “deplorable” and “despicable” conditions seen in years.
Charged were Robert H. Simons III, 53, and Mary E. Tittle, 37, both of 147 Miller Drive, Jonesborough, after investigators with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and agents with the Department of Children Services discovered some of the five children in Simons’ and Tittle’s care residing on a bus in the front yard and “subjected to deplorable living conditions,” according to a news release. The bus had no running water, no bathroom and sparse living arrangements. The yard was strewn with trash and broken items, and it appeared the children were using the yard as a bathroom, said WCSO Lt. Doug Gregg.
[...]
The children, whose ages range from 7-13, had not bathed in weeks, could not read or write, did not know their own ages and had never attended school of any kind. Gregg said the children all thought they were 1 year old.
“They didn’t even have any comprehension of time and dates or anything like that,” Gregg said.

One girl, estimated to be 10 years old, was suffering from kidney failure due to an infection caused by an untreated rat bite, according to Gregg. The rat bite was the reason some of the children were living on the bus, according to a news release on the case.
Simons and Tittle were each charged with five counts of child abuse, child neglect and endangerment. They were each being held on $50,000 bonds in the Washington County Detention Center.
A court appearance for the couple was scheduled for Thursday.
Gregg said additional charges could be placed.
Investigators felt so bad for the children, Gregg said, that they went to a nearby grocery store and bought $60 worth of food and toys for them. The WCDC kitchen staff prepared sandwiches for the children, too. The five children were also clothed, taken for medical exams at Johnson City Medical Center and then placed together in foster care until permanent arrangements for their care could be made.
The girl suffering from the rat bite was in stage 3-4 renal failure and may need a kidney transplant, Gregg said. It was not known how long she had been without medication or dialysis treatments, both of which she required.
The child seemed happy once she was given a stuffed animal, Gregg said.

“She was in real good spirits when she got up here,” Gregg said, adding it was amazing how her demeanor improved with a little attention.
According to the sheriff’s office news release, the family had moved from Pennsylvania to this area when DCS workers in that state began investigating the children’s lack of education.
[...]http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News/article.php?ID=75867
http://i43.tinypic.com/dyx3c9.jpg
The scene at 147 Miller Drive, and (inset) Washington County Detention Center booking photos of Robert H. Simmons III and Mary E. Tittle.

[killadelfia]

nevermind...i was posting the same thing as you, you got it up there first lol

[Tundratot]

My God! That picture is astonishing! These folks just cobbled together various mobile "homes" and called it home. Wait . . . no. . . there does seem to be a house in that assemblage after all. But, damn, a bus, a travel trailer, and a mobile home. Plenty of room for 5 kids to live -- like chickens.

No attention, no education, no medical care. Jeez, what next? Farming babies?

That poor child!

[truckermo]

Good grief, I don't think I can handle one more rat bite situation. Sorry, but just something about their pics scream out they may not be quite right themselves.

[MadmamainNC]

Good grief, I don't think I can handle one more rat bite situation. Sorry, but just something about their pics scream out they may not be quite right themselves.

At least with her there has to be some level of retardation simply because the children are so clueless. Imagine being 13 and thinking you're 1? Or she's as dumb as a box of rocks.
There was obviously very little (to no interaction) between the mother and children.
Imagine no one celebrating your existence? No knowledge of pretty much anything? Breaks my heart.

He just gives me the heebee-geebees

Edited due to further observation. Look closely. She has a wandering eye. Which means, she may not have been tended to very well as a child either. Normally, that's repairable.

[Cholita]

Nasty nasty fucken gross ass nastiness! I agree on the inbred shit! Motherfuckers are cult like if you ask me! Poor kids thinking there all 1 yrs of age..
Story reeks of bullshit!

[MadmamainNC]

Nasty nasty fucken gross ass nastiness! I agree on the inbred shit! Motherfuckers are cult like if you ask me! Poor kids thinking there all 1 yrs of age..
Story reeks of bullshit!

Now that you mention it, they do have similar features.

[truckermo]

That is unreal. My little one just turned 3 this month, and does she know it! We've had two other birthdays in the household this month, and she celebrates like it is her day all over again. LOL As a matter of fact, as long as there is a bite of birthday cake in the house when she walks through the kitchen, it's her birthday all over again. The childs birthday has literally went on all month and I've laughed to no end, and she also got to start preschool in celebration of becoming such a big girl. I just can't imagine these poor kids existence. I am pretty partial to having my children living In the home with me, and after these rat cases, if we see a hamster run thru the place, I promise we are moving.

[koochie]

How does one acquire a bus?.

[Tundratot]

I'm worried we have a grandfather who's a father and a mother who's a sister. I see you got there before me, Cholita. I don't think there's anything about this situation that seems to be redeeming.

[AngelFire]

There was obviously very little (to no interaction) between the mother and children.
Imagine no one celebrating your existence? No knowledge of pretty much anything? Breaks my heart..


This alone made me sad. No birthdays, Christmas, or anything to look forward to. Poor babies

[Cholita]

How does one acquire a bus?.

Haha I know right?!? Was wondering the same thing! I don't wanna be gross but from the looks of it I bet those poor little kids had stinky lil' butts! No showers for like two weeks...YIKES!

[cubby]

These poor children are just one step from being completely feral. I CAN NOT, can not imagine children who have been so neglected that they don't have any concept of time, or even know their own ages.

:dontknow::crying:

[Whisper]

BREAKING NEWS: Police file charges against grandmother in child abuse case
From The Washington County Sheriff’s Office:
According to Sheriff Ed Graybeal, Investigators arrested Leona Patricia Bentler, age 41, 147 Miller Drive; Telford charging her with 6 counts of Child Abuse and Neglect after additional information was obtained from follow up interviews with witnesses, victims and suspects involved in the case.
Investigators also summoned Roberta Sauls, age 57, same address on charges of criminally 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. Sauls is the grandmother of the 5 children. Both co-defendants lived at the same address as Simons and Tittle at the time of the abuse.
Investigators have worked long hours side by side with the Children’s Advocacy Center, the Department of Children Services, and the Washington County District Attorney’s Office to answer any unanswered questions and to attempt to keep the welfare of the children at the forefront of the investigation.
The children are doing well, and have received lots of needed attention and belongings thanks to an overwhelming outpouring of gifts, money and support from the community.The Sheriff wants to thank the citizens of Washington County and all the surrounding counties for their support in this truly disturbing case.
The investigation began when investigators arrested Robert H Simons III; age 53; 147 Miller Road, Jonesborough and Mary E Tittle; age 37; same address after responding to the residence accompanied by the Department of Children Services and finding the children were subjected to the deplorable living conditions. The children ages ranging from 7-13 years of age had not been bathed in over two weeks.
The children had never attended any type of school. The children could not read or write. The children did not even know their ages.
A female child had an infection which was caused by a rat bite that was never treated. That same child is in stage 3-4 renal failure and the medication and treatment for that condition was not being provided to her.
Due to the rat bite some of the children were living on a bus in the front yard. The bus had no running water, no bathroom and sparse living arrangements. The children’s beds were extremely small. The yard of the address was strewn with broken items and trash. The occupants of the residence were using the yard for a bathroom. One of the children had only one shoe.
[...]
The family had been moved to Tennessee when DCS in Pennsylvania had started an investigation into their lack of education.
The five children were removed from the home fed, clothed, taken for medical exams and then were all placed in foster care, together, until permanent arrangements can be made.
Simons and Tittle were each charged with 5 counts of Child Abuse, Child Neglect of Endangerment. Their bonds were each set at $50,000. During subsequent hearings both their charges were upgraded to Aggravated Child Abuse, Child Neglect or Endangerment.
[...]http://www2.tricities.com/tri/news/local/article/breaking_news_police_file_charges_against_grandmot her_in_child_abuse_case/45415/

[Whisper]

More Charges Placed In Case Of Neglected Children
Washington County sheriff's deputies have charged Leona Patricia Bentler, 41, 147 Miller Drive, Telford, with more counts of child abuse and neglect in regard to her five children.
Investigators initially arrested Robert H. Simons III, 53, of 147 Miller Road, Jonesborough, and Mary E. Tittle, 37, of the same address, after the investigators went to their Telford residence and found "children were subjected to deplorable living conditions."
[...]
Investigators also summoned Roberta Sauls, 57, of the same address, on charges of criminal responsibility for the conduct of another in reference to five counts of Aggravated Child Abuse, child Neglect or Endangerment.
Bentler was a friend to both Robert H. Simons III and Mary E. Tittle. Sauls is the grandmother of the five children. Both co-defendants lived at the same address as Simons and Tittle at the time of the alleged abuse.
A press release from Washington County Sheriff Ed Graybeal said, "Investigators have worked long hours side by side with the Children's Advocacy Center, the Department of Children Services, and the Washington County District Attorney's Office to answer any unanswered questions and to attempt to keep the welfare of the children at the forefront of the investigation.
[...]
The Sheriff said he wants to thank the citizens of Washington County and all the surrounding counties for their support "in this truly disturbing case."

CASE BACKGROUND

The Washington County Sheriff's Department said, "A female child had an infection which was caused by a rat bite that was never treated. That same child is in stage 3-4 renal failure and the medication and treatment for that condition was not being provided to her.
"Due to the rat bite some of the children were living on a bus in the front yard. The bus had no running water, no bathroom and sparse living arrangements. The children's beds were extremely small. The yard of the address was strewn with broken items and trash. The occupants of the residence were using the yard for a bathroom. One of the children had only one shoe.
"The conditions at the address were the worst that been seen in several years.
"The family had been moved to Tennessee when authorities in Pennsylvania had started an investigation into the children's lack of education.
"The five children have been removed from where they were living, fed, clothed, taken for medical exams and then all were placed in foster care, together, until permanent arrangements can be made."
Simons and Tittle were each charged with five counts of Child Abuse, Child Neglect of Endangerment. Their bonds were each set at $50,000. During subsequent hearings both their charges were upgraded to Aggravated Child Abuse, Child Neglect or Endangerment.
[...]http://greenevillesun.com/story/309329

[DamagedGoods]

Tittle.... *snicker*

[Lizard]

What, am I the only person who reads about this case and feels compelled to whip out my banjo and holler "YEEEEE HAWWW!"???

[Pene784]

What, am I the only person who reads about this case and feels compelled to whip out my banjo and holler "YEEEEE HAWWW!"???

Hey now, these people were not southerns. They were transplants from Pennsylvania!

[Lizard]

Hey now, these people were not southerns. They were transplants from Pennsylvania!

Aw, c'mon, you should know as well as I do that you can come from just about ANYWHERE and still be an inbred backwoods hick! :P

I'm going to write this up for the FP later today. I've found a few other articles about the case, but if anyone wants to go sleuthing and see if you can dig up anything else on this case, I'd be happy to give you a "thank you" mention.

[Tundratot]

This is primarily about the defendant Patricia Bentler:


WCSO Investigator Jared Taylor said Bentler met Simons and Tittle through a mutual friend. Bentler lived in Oregon with her 8-year-old daughter and was looking for a new start, so she, Simons and Tittle reportedly arranged to meet up and come back to this area. The five siblings made the trek to Oregon with their parents to pick up Bentler and her daughter.

“Somehow they got a (Chevrolet) Tahoe and was able to get a U-Haul trailer to go all the way up to Oregon to pick up Leona and her daughter,” Taylor said.

The group returned to Tennessee in mid-January and Bentler and her daughter had been living in the Miller Drive address since then. The 147 Miller Drive home was infested with rats and had structural issues. The rat infestation was the reason Simons, Tittle and their children were living on the bus and camper parked on the property.


Bentler’s daughter was never enrolled in school while in the area. Bentler was charged with the abuse and neglect of Simons and Tittle’s children, in addition to her daughter, because she could have told someone about the situation. Bentler told no one because she was afraid of losing her child, Taylor said.

“She had her own cell phone,” Taylor said. “She had every opportunity to tell somebody.” http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News/article.php?ID=76049

Ah, but that's assuming she wanted to tell someone. She hooked up with these "folks" and she may have felt very comfortable with their lifestyle. If you see the picture, she looks like them. My first thought was that she was family. Must be a long-lost relative.

Regarding the Tittle-Simmons alliance:


Taylor said a timeline he formed of Tittle, a Science Hill High School graduate, and Simons’ history with their children revealed the couple had moved around the country to avoid investigations into the educational neglect of their children for the past decade, at least.

“They’ve been all over the place,” Taylor said in an interview with the Johnson City Press on Wednesday. “So any time any kind of situation, you know, got hot as in somebody was checking into them, they would just up and leave. For several years it really sounds like this whole family lived out of a camper.”

Evidence indicated the family lived in Ohio, Virginia, Bristol and Sevierville or Pigeon Forge. Both Tittle and Simons were receiving some form of disability payments as income, Taylor said.

Taylor said investigators and agencies involved in this case wanted to thank the entire region for showing concern for the children.

Geez, they were willing to put a lot of work into avoiding detection, but none into day-to-day living.

[cubby]

at least the children are being kept together.

[Lizard]

The 147 Miller Drive home was infested with rats and had structural issues. The rat infestation was the reason Simons, Tittle and their children were living on the bus and camper parked on the property.

Now that's classy right there. Leave the house to the rats.

[Silvahalo]

Poor children! omg, rat bites, uugh, kills me to read on that.

Poor child would have died soon, jesus, this is so sad. So glad these children
were rescued out of that shit-hole nightmare! and yeah those two look off, real off.

[OregonDream]

This is truly a sick case of child endangerment and abuse. I know Ms. Bentler in Real life before she moved to TN. She was promised a dream life when she was contacted online, but ended up in utter hell when she arrived. Ms. Bentler was taking care of the kids while their filth parents were sleeping and doing absolutely nothing for their children. It is complete B.S. that Ms. Bentler is being held on a $60,000 Bond while the parents are facing just a $50,000 while they are being held on AGGRAVATED Child Abuse/Neglect (Source was from the jail where she is currently incarcerated in). She was getting death threats from unknown sources in the community and was either facing death or jail anyway.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

http://i0.simplest-image-hosting.net/168bf183b2abe8bc9188aacc163dd507/-dd-1580.jpg
The child neglect case described by Washington County, TN Sheriff’s Office investigators as one of the worst they’ve ever worked took a surprise twist Wednesday. Just before lunch, one of the people charged in connection to the neglect of several children walked out of jail a free woman.

“I just want everybody to know that I didn’t do anything to harm them,” Leona Bentler said of the children just minutes after walking out of jail. “I tried to keep them clean. I tried to keep them safe.”

The parents and grandmother of the five kids in question will soon go before the Washington County Grand Jury, but not Bentler. She pleaded guilty to six counts of child neglect and one count of contributing to the unruliness of a minor today in Washington County Sessions Court.

In return for those guilty pleas, Bentler received no additional jail time. Instead she was sentenced to two years supervised probation and was ordered to pay $175 in fines.

However, her sentence comes with a catch. As part of her plea agreement, Bentler must cooperate with prosecutors and testify against the people she once considered family. Bentler briefly lived next door to the children and prosecutors say she knew about the deplorable living conditions, but never called police.

“Her involvement in the neglect was minimal,” Assistant District Attorney Dennis Brooks said. “Basically, she didn’t report the situation that she was aware of.”

Today, Bentler said that is her biggest regret.
[...]

According to Brooks, the kids remain in state custody and are now living in foster care outside of the Tri-Cities region. For the first time in their life, they are attending school, Brooks said.

“They’ve got them in the school system, but they’re so far behind that it’s going to be a process to catch them up,” he added.
[...]

The children’s parents, Mary Tittle and Robert Simons, and grandmother Roberta Sauls, still face child neglect charges in connection to the crime.
[...]

As for Bentler, after serving seven months in jail, she says she now plans to move to middle Tennessee to be with her eight year-old daughter. After her arrest, the Department of Children’s Services took custody of that child. According to Bentler, the state is now allowing her to again care for her daughter. Still, she must return to Washington County to testify in this case.

“I just want all of this to be over because I want my daughter and I to get back on our track,” Bentler said. “I’m sorry that all this came down.”
http://www2.tricities.com/news/2010/nov/17/child-abuse-case-takes-surprise-twist-court-ar-659871/

[badfish76]

Is she sorry that she didn't help those children or that it "all came down" and landed her ass in jail, I wonder?

[Bohring]

Is she sorry that she didn't help those children or that it "all came down" and landed her ass in jail, I wonder?

Hopefully, she's seen what life without her child can be like, not to mention being someone's bitch in jail, especially if she was branded 'child abuser' in any form, and wants to right her wrongs. I have a hard time not bitch-slapping someone who talks down to or calls their kid a bad name in public, I can't imagine turning a blind eye to the Five Star living conditions of these nasty hambeasts.

Heal completely children.

[Whisper]

Jury selection begins in Simmons, Tittle child abuse case

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Tenn. --
Two parents accused of denying their children nutrition, a proper education and letting them live in deplorable conditions are now on trial in Jonesborough.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office arrested Robert Simmons and Mary Tittle in April 2010 and took their five kids into state custody. A grand jury indicted the pair on eight charges each of aggravated child neglect.

Today jury selection began. After hours of questions today no jury has been selected yet. They spent all day questioning potential jurors but have yet to seat a jury. This case has received a lot of media attention and that's just one reason why it's expected to be a long week inside the courtroom.

The media attention is just one issue that could slow the process down. The attorneys also want to make sure none of the jurors think differently because they've been impacted, whether it be their families or themselves by child abuse.

They dismissed several jurors for that reason today.

For the first time since their arrest nearly two years ago, Simmons and Tittle sat in a courtroom wearing normal clothes not the jumpsuits they wear in jail. Another thing that's noticeable is that Simmons has lost a considerable amount of weight while in jail. The man often glanced at the mother of his children, who was sitting at the defense table with him, but she never returned those glances.

Their trial is scheduled to last at least a week. The first order of business is to make sure all of the jurors they select will give their clients a fair trial, especially when it comes to not judging them because of their intellectual disabilities. They say every person involved in this case suffers from some kind of developmental issue.

[...]http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/feb/27/jury-selection-begins-simmons-tittle-child-abuse-c-ar-1720489/

[Tundratot]

I think they both lost weight. He lost a lot of weight and is noticably thin; she's just different. Neither of them are very recognizable.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

In opening arguments today, prosecutors said the four boys and one girl are doing better now that they're attending school and living in a foster home.

Prosecutors said two days after the children moved into a foster home they still smelled like urine. They said the kids had to learn how to take showers, comb their hair and brush their teeth. According to the District Attorney's Office under their parents' care the kids didn't bathe or attend school. They didn't even know their ages, last name or even how to use a pencil. Prosecutors told the jury the IQ for one of the children was just 33. The IQs of the others were maybe twice that.

Prosecutors said Simons' and Tittle's daughter's health also suffered. Her chronic kidney condition required dialysis or a transplant, but she didn't get that transplant until after law enforcement got involved.

"That child never saw those doctors again, even though that defendant Mr. Simons was told that his daughter was going to die,” said Assistant District Attorney Dennis Brooks.

"We can't sit here and say it was perfect, but the effort and the concern and those kinds of things that are there with parents trying to care with a sick child, and I emphasize trying, was there,” said Matt Bolton, Simons’ attorney.

The defense attorneys admit the parents really weren't capable of raising children, but they say that doesn't mean they're guilty of aggravated child neglect.

In order to get a conviction prosecutors need to prove the parents were "extremely evil and grossly wicked." Defense attorneys said Simons and Tittle never intended to harm their children.
http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/feb/28/details-revealed-how-bad-living-conditions-were-ch-ar-1727388/

[Tundratot]

In order to get a conviction prosecutors need to prove the parents were "extremely evil and grossly wicked."
That shouldn't be difficult. They're obviously gross, and the wicked part -- well, anyone who would do that to their children is wicked.


Defense attorneys said Simons and Tittle never intended to harm their children.
No? Do they know right from wrong? Are their IQs also 33 and 34? I doubt it. They knew that their children needed to be kept clean, fed nutricious food, sent to school, given medical care . . . Can they possibly say they didn't understand that dialysis and/or kidney transplants weren't just elective?

[cubby]

He looks all freshly showered and shaved and she still looks dirty, sloppy and greasy. I wonder if they have different attorneys who are taking different routes to prove that they are developmentally disabled. Maybe her lawyers think that by letting her remain dirty looking that everyone will thinks she don't know any better, so that's why the kids were dirty. Or maybe that's as clean as she wants to be. She looks like she just came out the field from plowing. Just sweaty and greasy looking.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

http://i0.simplest-image-hosting.net/168bf183b2abe8bc9188aacc163dd507/20120309-01.jpg
Guilty of two counts of aggravated child neglect, that's the verdict a jury handed down to a Tri-Cities couple who failed to properly care for their five children.

The Washington County, Tenn. jury didn't need long to return the verdict against Robert Simons and Mary Tittle. The couple learned their fate at 9:45 a.m. this morning. Both were found guilty of two counts of aggravated child neglect, the most serious charges against them, and were also found guilty of six lesser charges.

Although the jury foreman teared up the parents had no reaction whatsoever. The jury found them guilty of aggravated child neglect for denying their daughter proper healthcare.

Jurors also found them guilty of four counts of felony child neglect, two counts of regular child neglect and among other things failing to send their four sons and one daughter to school.

The five kids now live with their foster parents.

Prosecutors said today's guilty verdict should clear the way for the Jordan’s to adopt the kids. Leading up to this trial Simons and Tittle were in the process of still trying to get those kids back.

“It just overwhelms me that i know now, the kids, a class a felony, there's no chance they're going to get them back and that's the main thing I’m looking at,” said Junior Jordan the children’s foster dad.

Those parents said the kids have told them they never want to go back with Simons and Tittle. They said the kids also want to change their last names to Jordan.

At the least their birth parents will now each spend 15 years in prison without probation, potentially longer depending on what the judge decides.

Simons and Tittle will be sentenced on April 12.
http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/mar/08/simons-tittle-found-guilty-aggravated-child-neglec-ar-1750511/