Last Update: 3/29/2007 1:39 am
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Children left inside closet
(WCPO/WCPO.com)
An Avondale woman has been charged with endangering children for allegedly
going to work and leaving her two young children unattended and locked in
a closet.
The ages of the children are one and five.
Beverly A. Fears, 24, of the 3600 block of Reading Road, was arrested
early Wednesday morning while at work at Dell Computers in West Chester.
That occurred after a neighbor of Fears heard banging sounds on the floor
above her apartment, became concerned and called police.
"We heard a lot of bumping going on right above our apartment," said the
woman, who didn't want to be identified. "We just kept on hearing this
boom -- boom -- boom -- boom -- boom."
The first officers on the scene broke open the apartment door and found
the children inside the closet.
Police called 241-KIDS and the children were taken to Cincinnati
Children's Hospital for physical and emotional evaluation.
Brian Gregg, spokesperson with the Hamilton County Department of Job and
Family Services, said, "On the surface from what we received from police
it appears there was abuse and neglect in this case.
He said the neglect investigation stems from the fact that the children
were locked in the closet.
Regarding the abuse probe, Gregg said, "I understand there were some marks
on the eyes and on the hands that would indicate they were possibly
abused."
Gregg added that this is not the first contact Job and Family Services has
had with Fears. "This department was involved with her back in 2004 in and
abuse and neglect situation." He didn't give specifics.
Fears was given intensive parental counseling and the children were
returned to her, according to Gregg. He added, "We have not had a open
case on her for two years."
Sgt. Ken Wells of the Cincinnati Police Personal Crimes Unit said he
believes the first officers to respond "rescued those children."
"I think anybody -- officers, me you, any person on the street -- would be
affected by finding children state," Wells added.
Fears' neighbors said they were shocked at what occurred.
"I am surprised," said Donetta Gilliam. "You hear about stuff like this on
the news, but not in my building."
Gilliam added, though, "That's just not like her (Fears) to just leave her
children from what I've seen coming and going." "I just don't understand
how parents could do that to their children," said the woman who
originally called 911. "You don't do children like this. Parents are there
to protect them."
Fears is scheduled to appear in Hamilton County Municipal Court's Room A
on Thursday morning.
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