Saline County Judge Josh Farmer sentenced an Alexander woman on Wednesday to four years of probation plus costs and other stipulations as punishment. Defendant Kristy Beth Schneider, age 42, pleaded no contest to Endangering the Welfare of a Child in the First Degree (§5-27-205).
According to a statement by the Saline County Prosecutor’s Office, Schneider was the adoptive mother of a minor child with mental and verbal developmental delays, along with various undisputed medical issues.
The court case facts say the defendant took the juvenile for medical treatment to doctors in Saline county, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the Mayo Clinic and to other medical providers. During the course of the child’s treatment, doctors became concerned that the defendant may have given false, inaccurate, or exaggerated information concerning the child’s condition. The physicians concluded that this information resulted in unnecessary medical treatment, exposing the child to significant risk of death or physical injury.
Much of the medical treatment took place outside of Saline County and is not directly in the venue of the 22nd Division Circuit Court, including the insertion of a port in the child’s chest through which medication was administered. However, doses of prescribed narcotic drugs were administered to the child through the port by his mother at their home in Saline County.
Also in Saline County, while caring for the child in her home, his mother restricted his nutrition to the total parenteral nutrition prescribed by physicians based in part on the mother’s reporting of the child’s symptoms. After the child was taken into care by the Department of Human Services, doctors were able to empirically measure his pain levels and tolerance for nutrition. According to the Prosecutor’s statement, doctors determined the port was not necessary, the dosages of narcotic drugs were unwarranted, and the child was able to eat and drink without pain. Since his removal from his mother’s care, the child no longer uses a wheelchair and regularly attended school while it was in session.
In exchange for a plea of no contest to these facts, the court sentenced Schneider to:
- 48 months probation,
- $1,500 fine,
- court costs of $150 fine,
- $40 booking fee.
- submission of a DNA sample with $250 fee.
- continued counseling during probation
- complete parenting classes during probation
- no contact with the child (unless approved by the court in the Department of Human Services case)
The Prosecutor’s Office stated that the child’s mental condition and verbal developmental delays as well as the issues with venue were considered when pleading this case. They also said a long trial would not have been in the child’s best interest, especially considering the juveniles improvement since being out of her custody.
Schneider will be monitored and held accountable if she violates the agreed upon terms.