Reelsville mom, 29, charged with neglect of her three children

Thursday, February 27, 2014

REELSVILLE -- A 29-year-old Putnam County mother is facing three counts of neglect of a dependent following an investigation by child services officials and the Indiana State Police.

Heather Nicole Rutherford, of Reels-ville, reportedly placed her three children in a situation that "endangered their lives and health and furthermore deprived them of the necessary support they were in need of," Indiana State Police (ISP) revealed in a press release.

Rutherford was arrested and charged with three counts of neglect of a dependent, all Class D felonies. 


The investigation unfolded after the Indiana Department of Child Services in Putnam County contacted the Indiana State Police at the Putnamville Post on Monday, Feb. 24 regarding an alleged case of child neglect.

An ensuing investigation revealed, authorities said, that Rutherford had placed her three children in a situation that allegedly endangered their lives and well-being.

Sgt. Curt Durnil, an ISP public information officer, noted that the probable cause affidavit filed in Putnam Superior Court indicated living conditions in the home were extremely poor, including decaying food, trash and animal urine and feces about the residence.

The children were also said to have extremely poor hygiene as well, the officer said. 
The three children -- ages 8, 9 and 10 -- were immediately placed in foster care, authorities said.

The Putnam County Department of Health assisted with the investigation as well.

Authorities advise that anyone who suspects a child is being neglected or abused should call Indiana's Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline (1-800-800-5556) immediately. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.

Such abuse and neglect information can be reported anonymously, officials said.

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  • First of all I was never arrested. Period. Second yes this house was in bad shape but they neglect to mention no one has been here. Im not denying the condition of the house. I had no where else to put the dogs and I was gone for 5 days. There was poop and there was trash shredded through the house and there were clothes everywhere. My children were not in the house in this condition and the dogs had food and water. When the children went to school on monday I did know they were not wearing socks. The allegations that their clothes were dirty are false. My children are not in foster care. They are with family until I get back on my feet since putnam county is dead set on destroying a good mother because of extenuating circumstances that spiraled out of my control. I am accepting the responsibility but I refuse to.sit around and.let my character be slandered when im innocent until proven guilty.

    -- Posted by hRutherford on Fri, Feb 28, 2014, at 2:16 AM
  • Neighbors say different. Children deserve to be safe, healthy and happy. Get rid of the animals you can't afford to keep. (Shots, heart guard medicine every month, spay/neutered, etc...) if you can afford that after your children are bathed, clothed in warm clothing, fed nice warm meals, GOOD hygiene, etc... Then go for it. Don't be too proud to admit you need help. Priorities should be your babies.

    -- Posted by FedUp tax payer on Fri, Feb 28, 2014, at 5:22 PM
  • I personally know this girl , she is a good mother to those children !! They were not at home for days and the dogs were in the house ( with food & water available to them ) therefore there was dog poop in there , they also got into the trash and drug it all through the house but the children were not staying at the house at the time !!! This infuriates me that for one cps and the police involved are all blowing this way out of proportion and the fact that this is on the front page of the news paper !!! This single mother has been trying so hard to provide for her children with no help from their father for years now , she works her butt off for them and now her name is being thrown all over the paper making her seem like a bad mother !! She is a good mother !!!

    -- Posted by cloverdalemamaw on Fri, Feb 28, 2014, at 6:49 PM
  • Where does the paper get its facts to write stories? Is the paper not able to follow the 5-W's of writing a story?? A great majority of papers try to be the first to publish stories as quickly as possible without doing the "professional" amount of research needed.

    -- Posted by donantonioelsabio on Fri, Feb 28, 2014, at 7:25 PM
  • I've seen the house that these children lived in. I've see the trash and dirty items slung around the house. Didn't even have a door knob on the front door. You can be poor but still be clean. The children live in filth. They deserve a clean place to lay their heads at night.

    -- Posted by FedUp tax payer on Fri, Feb 28, 2014, at 10:13 PM
  • Must say I've seen this house. I live in apple blossom and this house has looked the same seems they started living there. Just look at the outside. Do u think the dog did that in five days.come on. You deserve what you get.if you don't like making the paper clean you house up and good mother. Wow how you a good mother when you keep your kids in trash all day.

    -- Posted by hoodedupent on Sat, Mar 1, 2014, at 8:36 AM
  • And the kids may have not been there that day but they were before that day.I see them walking down about every day on my way home.enough said the proof is in the yard and house. Don't like it change it.

    -- Posted by hoodedupent on Sat, Mar 1, 2014, at 8:41 AM
  • I would highly recommend not posting on here given the fact that a probable cause affidavit has been filed. You don't want to hurt your ability to respond to the allegations by way of due process.

    -- Posted by jorge on Sat, Mar 1, 2014, at 9:13 PM
  • Its always better for CPS to make a mistake by removing the kids, than to make a mistake & NOT remove the kids. There are too many cases where they did nothing, & a few weeks later something horrible happens. If this person deserves to have her kids back, it should be easy to prove. Show a clean home, with food, clothes, personal hygene products, etc, pass a drug screen, & then you can have your kids back. Also we as a society need to make sure we are reporting EVERY time we suspect a child is living in deplorable conditions, or being abused. It is your duty as a human being to speak up for kids who cant always speak up for theirselves!

    -- Posted by truthis on Sat, Mar 8, 2014, at 11:22 AM
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