Staff Report

Chasity Racquel Hurley

WARSAW — A Warsaw woman was recently arrested for allegedly neglecting two children.

Chasity Racquel Hurley, 28, 2948 W. 200S, Warsaw, is charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, a level 3 felony; neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury, a level 5 felony; and neglect of a dependent, a level 6 felony.

On Aug. 7, 2023, the Department of Child Protective Services received a report regarding the welfare of two children in Hurley’s care. DCS was requested to go to a location in Warsaw after hearing concerns about Hurley’s behavior with the two children.

According to court documents, after assessing the situation, DCS decided to remove the children from Hurley’s care. At that time, there was a bruise on one of the children’s faces. The child was taken to a hospital for further examination. Imaging revealed the child had ankle and elbow fractures.

While the child was receiving medical attention, Hurley submitted to an instant drug screen with DCS. The screen showed a positive result for methamphetamine.

Hurley told a DCS worker the child’s ankle was broken back in May by the child’s father and that she was concerned the father would hurt the second child. There is no known record of Hurley seeking medical attention for the child’s fractured ankle.

During the DCS investigation, both Hurley and the child’s father denied injuring the child.

Further investigation showed Hurley and the children’s father had a volatile domestic history, as reported by relatives.

On Aug. 29, 2023, Hurley went to the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office for an interview. After being advised of her rights, Hurley refused to speak further.

On Sept. 11, 2023, a KCSO detective spoke with a woman who said Hurley was rough with the two children when putting them down into a swing and crib. Hurley also allegedly slept for a long period of time and ignored the children for an extended period. This included a 17-hour period where Hurley did not change one of the children’s diapers. Hurley also made a comment about the children’s father hurting one of the children.

On Sept. 4, 2021, Hurley was arrested for domestic battery in the presence of a child, with the victim in the case being the children’s father. For that case, Hurley participated in a pretrial diversion program and the case was ultimately dismissed. However, as part of the diversion agreement, Hurley admitted to committing the offense.

On Sept. 22, 2021, KCSO deputies were called to a domestic dispute involving Hurley and the children’s father. Hurley alleged the father grabbed her around her neck and lifted her off the ground. Deputies did not notice any injuries on Hurley’s neck.

The children’s father said Hurley was the aggressor in the situation, having grabbed and pulled his hair. No formal charges were filed for this incident.

On Jan. 25, 2023, DCS became involved with Hurley and the children’s father when one of the children’s umbilical cord blood tested positive for cannabinoids.

Hurley admitted to consuming THC edibles during her pregnancy with the child and denied the child being born premature due to her illegal drug consumption. Drug tests for both Hurley and the child’s father on Feb. 7, 2023, returned negative for illegal substances.

No charges have been filed against the children’s father.

Hurley was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on Jan. 18, 2024, with a $20,250 surety and cash bond.