Fulton, NY -- A 19-month-old girl, malnourished and burned with a cigarette, was recently removed from a Fulton residence nearly barren except for soiled diapers and garbage, Fulton police said. On Tuesday, police charged her parents in connection with the baby's condition. Her mother, Melissa K. Nichols, 17, of 234 Oneida St., was charged with two counts of endangering...
Melissa K. Nichols
Jeremy W. BaileyFulton, NY -- A 19-month-old girl, malnourished and burned with a cigarette, was recently removed from a Fulton residence nearly barren except for soiled diapers and garbage, Fulton police said.
On Tuesday, police charged her parents in connection with the baby's condition. Her mother, Melissa K. Nichols, 17, of 234 Oneida St., was charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of assault, all misdemeanors.
Her father, Jeremy W. Bailey, 22, was also charged with endangering the welfare of a child. He was sent to the Oswego County jail with bail set at $5,000 cash or $10,000 bond, police said.
Investigators searched their residence June 30 on a warrant looking for items stolen from the former Nestle chocolate factory in Fulton. Bailey was one of six adults charged with burglary, grand larceny, conspiracy and other charges in the June 29 break-in. Three juveniles were also charged.
Police had no idea the couple had a baby until they came to the apartment. There, they found the family living in appalling conditions, said Investigator Aimee May.
The residence was bare of furnishings, but littered with garbage and dirty diapers, she said. The family hadn’t eaten in a couple days because they didn’t have any money, the couple told her. The baby had no toys, bed or clothes. She had not received any immunizations or medical exams, police said.
Police officers said the baby looked a year old, not 19 months old.
The family had been surviving on public assistance since relocating from Florida four months ago, May said. They didn’t have any family in the area.
“They didn’t know what to do,” May said. “They would run out of food and they would go days without feeding her. It was – I think deplorable is a great word.”
The baby had a cigarette burn on her torso. Nichols told police she picked up the baby about a week ago with a cigarette in her hand, and it fell down the infant’s diaper. That led to Nichols' assault charge.
May said the misdemeanor endangering the welfare charge was the only one that covered the alleged abuse. The investigator said the case has affected her more than any other in her 13-year career.
The baby was immediately removed to the Department of Social Services after the June 30 raid, said Lt. William Clark. Investigators had tabs on the couple while investigating the chocolate factory burglary, which is why they didn’t charge them with endangering the baby sooner, he said.
May said numerous people knew the couple had a baby, but no one did anything to help. Nichols was ticketed and released. She was working with Family Court on custody of the baby, May said.