Local couple leave children at splash pad
Duo now facing child neglect charges
Two local residents are each facing a felony charge of child neglect after they reportedly left their two children at a local splash pad, and allegedly asked another individual to watch them while “they went home to work on things.”
Two local residents are each facing a felony charge of child neglect after they reportedly left their two children at a local splash pad, and allegedly asked another individual to watch them while “they went home to work on things.”
Brandon D. Stites, 36, with addresses in both Muldrow and Sallisaw, and Victoria P. Stites, 34, of Sallisaw, were both charged on Sept. 19 in Sequoyah County District Court and warrants were issued for their arrests the same day, according to court records. Both are now scheduled to appear before Associate District Judge Kyle Waters for a Sept. 27 arraignment.
On the afternoon of Sept. 2, Sallisaw Police Lt. Tucker Martens reported he was dispatched to Jay Reynolds splash pad in reference to possible child neglect. The reporting party told Martens that an individual had asked them to watch their two children for 30 minutes and then left. The RP said they did not know the individual or two children, and after an hour or more passed, they became worried and contacted police.
The two children told Martens their parents’ names were Brandon and Victoria Stites and the general area they might be in. The reporting party stayed with the children while Martens went to look for the parents. Near East Scott and Main Streets, the officer saw a couple walking and recognized Brandon Stites from a previous encounter.
When Martens questioned Stites about the reporting party’s statements, he didn’t deny leaving the two children there with another party. Stites told the officer the two children were left there while “they went home to work on things,” according to the probable cause affidavit. He also stated he could “never get anything done when they (the children) were home.”
Stites also claimed he knew the reporting party the children were left with, and the boys knew the reporting party’s children. When Martens advised him that the reporting party did not know him, he reportedly did not respond. Stites also continued to argue that he’d not been gone for an hour, it had only been 30 minutes.
District Attorney Jack Thorp said felony child neglect is punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections not exceeding life, or imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year; or by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $5,000, or both fine and imprisonment.
