Child neglect case nets another arrest

HARTINGTON – Another person has been arrested on negligent child abuse charge after he allegedly abandoned two children at a campground.

Colton Roland, 30, Yankton, S.D., was charged with a misdemeanor in Cedar County Court and is set to appear this week. Kaari Rood, 54, also of Yankton, was also arrested on suspicion of negligent child abuse in an incident at the Cottonwood Campground in May.

Campers reported a 2-year-old child at the playground without parental supervision and then a short time later noticed the child had a full diaper with feces falling out of it.

Attempts were made to get Rood to care for the child but she was reportedly incoherent.

Campers took turns caring for the girl and her 5-year-old brother, who were not clothed properly, and were hungry and thirsty.

When the deputy arrived, he made several attempts to rouse Rood and pulled her from the tent when she finally came to, according to court documents. When asked where her children were, Rood responded, “at daycare.”

Witnesses told law enforcement that Roland had briefly responded to the children after they asked him to, but otherwise was sleeping. He had left the campground and was not present when officers arrived to investigate, but was later arrested.

In other court news: A charge of burglary was amended and reduced to seconddegree criminal trespass for Francisco Romero, 30, Laurel, after he broke into his neighbor’s home and police found him in the basement.

The property owner was notified by alarm of the entry into his basement and was able to see his neighbor through the security camera footage. The owner was not home at the time of the break-in.

In Cedar County Court, Judge Sara Bauer sentenced Romero to 32 days in jail which he had already served and was released.

– Izabella Nissen, 21, Yankton, S.D., is facing charges of thirddegree domestic assault and disturbing the peace after a verbal argument with a man turned physical while he was driving. Law enforcement noted visible injuries on his face and arm.

She is set to appear in Cedar County Court later this month.