DARLINGTON - A Monroe couple faces a long list of court-ordered conditions in Lafayette County Circuit Court for felony child neglect cases that allege they kept their two toddlers in squalid conditions last year while living in Darlington.
Adam D. Bliss, 33, and Nicole C. Bliss, 23, were each charged in March with two Class H felony counts of neglecting a child, where the consequence is bodily harm. Adam Bliss was also charged with a Class B misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct.
In July, he pleaded guilty to the disorderly conduct charge and to one count of child neglect. The other child neglect charge was dismissed but "read in," meaning Judge James Beer could consider it in his sentencing.
Adam Bliss was sentenced to a year on probation, with conditions that he complete an assessment for drug and alcohol abuse, undergo all recommended treatment and counseling and not drink or go into bars or liquor stores.
Nicole Bliss entered an 18-month deferred prosecution on one count of child neglect, with the other count dismissed. Like her husband, she is ordered not to possess or consume alcohol, controlled substances and any prescription medications for which she does not have a prescription.
She is also ordered to stay in touch and cooperate with her social worker, cooperate with her children's therapist when asked, "have a safe, suitable and stable home," not hurt her children or let anyone else hurt her children and complete all recommended treatment and counseling.
The charges against the Blisses stem from an incident last November that started when a child abuse and neglect investigator requested that police accompany her on a visit to the Bliss residence in the 400 block of Keep Street in Darlington. Court records indicate it is a single-family dwelling occupied by nine people, with the Blisses living upstairs and another family downstairs.
According to police reports:
When police arrived, they were informed the Bliss toddlers do not get regular diaper changes and often go long stretches without eating.
Police and the investigator went upstairs and observed uninhabitable rooms and human feces smeared across a window. The Bliss family was ordered to bring the upstairs living quarters up to code within 10 days.
Adam Bliss was uncooperative throughout the home visit, yelling and swearing at police.
Human services returned later in the day and took custody of the Bliss children, ages 1 and 3.
The Blisses have since moved to Monroe.
Adam D. Bliss, 33, and Nicole C. Bliss, 23, were each charged in March with two Class H felony counts of neglecting a child, where the consequence is bodily harm. Adam Bliss was also charged with a Class B misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct.
In July, he pleaded guilty to the disorderly conduct charge and to one count of child neglect. The other child neglect charge was dismissed but "read in," meaning Judge James Beer could consider it in his sentencing.
Adam Bliss was sentenced to a year on probation, with conditions that he complete an assessment for drug and alcohol abuse, undergo all recommended treatment and counseling and not drink or go into bars or liquor stores.
Nicole Bliss entered an 18-month deferred prosecution on one count of child neglect, with the other count dismissed. Like her husband, she is ordered not to possess or consume alcohol, controlled substances and any prescription medications for which she does not have a prescription.
She is also ordered to stay in touch and cooperate with her social worker, cooperate with her children's therapist when asked, "have a safe, suitable and stable home," not hurt her children or let anyone else hurt her children and complete all recommended treatment and counseling.
The charges against the Blisses stem from an incident last November that started when a child abuse and neglect investigator requested that police accompany her on a visit to the Bliss residence in the 400 block of Keep Street in Darlington. Court records indicate it is a single-family dwelling occupied by nine people, with the Blisses living upstairs and another family downstairs.
According to police reports:
When police arrived, they were informed the Bliss toddlers do not get regular diaper changes and often go long stretches without eating.
Police and the investigator went upstairs and observed uninhabitable rooms and human feces smeared across a window. The Bliss family was ordered to bring the upstairs living quarters up to code within 10 days.
Adam Bliss was uncooperative throughout the home visit, yelling and swearing at police.
Human services returned later in the day and took custody of the Bliss children, ages 1 and 3.
The Blisses have since moved to Monroe.