Father, Girlfriend Arrested In Connection With Child Neglect

[Stepmom0418]

Father, Girlfriend Arrested In Connection With Child Neglect
Neely, Holtmyer Free On Bond

POSTED: 10:11 am CST February 20, 2005
UPDATED: 9:58 am CST February 21, 2005

WINTERSET, Iowa -- Police say two people could face child endangerment charges after a 10-year-old girl weighing 59 pounds was discovered locked in a bedroom in Winterset.

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The girl's father, 38-year-old Jon Neely, and his girlfriend, 36-year-old Kimberly Holtmyer, were arrested Friday after police came across the girl while investigating a tip about possible child neglect.


Police said the charges stem from the girl being locked in her room when no one was home.

Police Chief Ken Burk said the girl was being locked in the house while her parents were away.

Burk said the child was thin, but otherwise in good spirits.

Burk says investigators don't know how long the girl was left alone -- but it was not the first time. He declined to elaborate.

Authorities say the girl and a 14-year-old boy also living at the home were placed in foster care.

Records showed Neely and Holtmyer each posted a $9,700 bond.

The couple is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday. NewsChannel 8 was unable to speak with the couple about the allegations.

[Stepmom0418]

Police Release Search Warrant Document
Winterset Girl Stayed In Empty, Dark Room

POSTED: 1:55 pm CST February 22, 2005
UPDATED: 12:08 pm CST February 23, 2005

WINTERSET, Iowa -- A search warrant document on a home of a Winterset couple offers new information about the condition of the room in which a 10-year-old girl was found.

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Video: Watch KCCI's Report  
 
 
 
 

The father of a girl and his girlfriend could face child endangerment charges after the man's daughter was discovered locked in a bedroom.

The girl's father, 38-year-old Jon Neely, and his girlfriend, 36-year-old Kimberly Holtmyer, were arrested Friday after police came across the girl while investigating a tip about possible child neglect.

Winterset Police Chief Ken Burk stopped by the home at 1227 W. Washington on Feb. 18, a search warrant application shows.

The document stated the room the girl was in had aluminum foil over the windows, lights without light bulbs and was bare except for a television cabinet. The bed and clothing in the closet were removed from the room, according to the warrant application.

Neely told police that "the furniture had been removed because she breaks everything and there was no light because she was being punished," the document shows. Neely later told police that the girl urinated on everything and she steals, according to the document.

Police said the charges stem from the girl being locked in her room when no one was home. The girl weighed 59 pounds.

Court documents claim the girl appeared thin, pale and small for her age, and she had a bruise under her left eye.

"The child was locked in a situation that was potentially very unsafe and she couldn't have freed herself," said Martin Ramsey, Madison County Attorney.

The child endangerment charge is not based on how police and prosecutors believe the couple treated the girl. Instead, it's based on an allegation that the girl was locked away and left alone.

"We got those concerns addressed fairly immediately, and now we're concerned about some of the more latent effects, some of the psychological effects and the impact related to that," Ramsey said.

Neely and Holtmyer each posted a $9,700 bond.

The couple is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.

Previous Stories:
February 21, 2005: Father, Girlfriend Arrested In Connection With Child Neglect

[MYSONSDAD]

This is just sick. If they did not want to care for her, find a relative that would. I noticed no mention of the mother.

Keep us posted.

"Children learn what they live"

[Stepmom0418]

There has been more news release yesterday. I will see if I can find it on the web later today.

The mother is in Germany with the 2 boys. Germany has notified the county attorney that the mother wants custody of the child and that the child IS a CITIZEN of Germany. Also the Governer of Iowa has requested any case files retained by DHS that involves this girl. The governer made a statement that he wants to see to it that DHS hasnt failed to protect this child previously. There has also been a mention that the gilr was supposed to only be with the father on a temp basis andt then he was to return her to her mother, but failed to do so.

I will try to post the updated story later.

This all happened about 20 miles south of where we are............I hope that it doesnt have a negative affect on DH's custody case. Especially since we havent heard a decision yet.

If anyone wants to try and look it up for themselves before i get it posted I found the story at //www.theiowachannel.com   Then you have to go under I seen it on the news and then article archives.