CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – A Rimersburg couple charged with child endangerment on two separate occasions in 2017 will be sentenced next week in the Clarion County Court of Common Pleas.
According to court documents, 23-year-old Linda Lois Bashline and 26-year-old Keith Emery Bashline, both of Rimersburg, are scheduled to appear for sentencing at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 28, in front of President Judge James Arner.
Linda Bashline and Keith Bashline each pleaded guilty to one first-degree misdemeanor count of child endangerment relating to a January 27, 2017 incident.
Court documents indicate two counts of child endangerment and one count of driving on a suspended registration were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
Court documents also indicate that three counts of child endangerment will be dismissed against both defendants stemming from an August 27, 2017 incident.
The defendants are currently free on $10,000.00 unsecured bail each.
Details of the August 17, 2017 case:
According to a criminal complaint, on August 17, Clarion County CYS (Children and Youth Services) requested Sergeant Nicole Peck, of the New Bethlehem Police Department, to respond to 119 Ditty Drive, in Rimersburg Borough.
Sergeant Peck arrived on the scene around 1:45 p.m. and was met by a CYS worker. During welfare checks of the children residing in the home, the CYS worker discovered deplorable conditions. When she went inside the residence, the mother did have the middle child, age three, strapped in a toddler car seat in front of the television. The mother stated that she does this so she can get the cleaning done, according to the complaint.
A five-year-old female child was outside the trailer. She was very dirty. Her clothes were also covered in dirt, and her hair had numerous mats and clumps of hair that had not been brushed in some time, the complaint states.
When Sergeant Peck entered the residence, she noticed a strong odor. The living carpet was covered in food crumbs and garbage. There was an 11-month child sitting in a portable crib in the living room. The child was noticeably over-heated. He was very dirty. He had dirt in his nose and on his feet, and his diaper was full. Another male child, age three, was also very dirty, the complaint indicates.
During the inspection of the home, Sergeant Peck noted the following conditions:
– The kitchen was very dirty including old food, garbage, and similar conditions. When the refrigerator door was opened, numerous gnats and flies flew out.
– The living room had crumbs and old food on the floor and garbage throughout the room.
– All of the bedrooms were very dirty. None of the children’s mattresses had any sheets or pillows.
– The bathroom of this residence was very dirty and unsanitary. The toilet had been disconnected from the toilet pipe. Bashline stated that they would still use the toilet with a bucket in it, but then dump their feces and urine down the toilet drain. There was a green bucket in the toilet, and it was full of feces and urine.
– There was water in the home, but there was no hot water.
Around 2:00 p.m., Sergeant Peck took protective custody of the three minor children, and they were placed into foster care.
Details of the January 17, 2017 case are not currently available.
