|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
BERNE, Ind. (BFMG) — Two parents are facing charges after their 2-year-old daughter was found dead in a closet with a space heater turned to its maximum setting, police said.
Sintia Perez, 21, and Jace Hirschy, 23, have been charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, as well as two additional felony counts of neglect of a dependent, according to WANE-TV.
The toddler’s internal body temperature was 109.4 degrees Fahrenheit, Berne police said. An autopsy confirmed the child died of hyperthermia, or overheating, WPTA-TV reported.
Officers responded to the Swiss Meadows apartment complex around 3:30 p.m. on the day before Thanksgiving. Inside, they found the home in severe disarray, with trash, soiled diapers, and feces scattered throughout, court documents show.
Police said the child was found lying on a “very soiled mattress” in a crib located inside a closet. A space heater, set to high, had been left on overnight, raising the closet’s temperature significantly higher than the rest of the apartment, officers said.
Perez allegedly told police she placed the child in the crib around 7 p.m. the night before, closed the closet door most of the way, and turned the heater on. She admitted she and Hirschy did not check on the child until 3 p.m. the following according to Law and Crime.
Investigators measured the temperature in the apartment, which ranged from 84 degrees to 109 degrees in some areas. The toddler’s body was reportedly discolored, with her head described as “darkly discolored.”
Two other children, ages 3 and 5, were found living in the residence under what police described as “extremely unhealthy” conditions. Both children suffered from lice infestations, officers said. The Indiana Department of Child Services has taken custody of the children.
Perez and Hirschy were arrested at the scene and appeared in court for the first time last week. They are being held at the Adams County Jail.
A pretrial conference is scheduled for Feb. 14, 2025, with a jury trial set to begin on March 7, 2025.
