Meleiah Fisher
GREENFIELD — The woman, who was supposed to be babysitting and caring for small children, kicked, punched, slapped and dropped several kids, the children told their parents and officials. She is now being held in the Hancock County Jail under a $40,000 cash bond after 10 different counts of neglect charges were filed following an arrest, Tuesday, Oct. 18.
Meleiah N. Fisher, 29, 100 block of Rambling Road, is facing seven different Level 5 felony counts of neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury as well as three different Level 6 felony counts of neglect of a dependent. Each of the most serious charges against her carry up to six years in prison.
According to court documents, Fisher made her initial appearance in Hancock County Circuit Court Wednesday Oct. 19 where Judge Scott Sirk set the $40,000 cash bond and put a no contact order in place upon condition of release. Fisher is scheduled to be back in court for a pre-trial hearing Nov. 17, but was still listed as an inmate in the county jail at print time.
A probable cause affidavit states a detective with the Greenfield Police Department was contacted by officials from the Indiana Department of Child Services referencing allegations of child abuse on Sept. 15. Officials were informed the abuse was happening at a local babysitter’s residence.
Officials went to the residence the same day and spoke to Fisher about a juvenile referred to as JV1. The child had marks on him, the report said. Fisher told the detective the forehead and nose of JV1 were injuries sustained from a fall on Monday, Sept. 12. Fisher told the detective she observed bruising on JV1’s legs, arms, and back when he arrived Sept. 12.
The report noted she confirmed other kids have sustained injuries at her residence when she was babysitting them. Fisher stated the children in her care “play rough.”
On Sept. 17, officials met with the parent of JV2 and JV3, the report said. The parent told officials she learned of Fisher’s babysitting through Real Life Church about 12 months ago. The parent noted she went into Fisher’s home in July and noticed a large hematoma on the forehead of JV2. The parent noted they asked Fisher what happened to JV2. The parent was told JV2 was in the bathroom sitting on the toilet and fell off and hit his head.
The report stated that Friday, Sept. 9 JV2 had bruising on the back, the side of the face, and the neck. The parent asked JV3 what happened to the sibling and JV3 stated Fisher slapped JV2. The parent then described JV2 as having popped blood vessels in the left eye.
The parent then asked JV3 what happens when you get in trouble at Fisher’s house. The report stated JV3 said, “Mom, you get beat up… Punched, slapped if you spill something or make a mess.”
It should be noted, officials said in the report, accusations have been made of Fisher stating she only babysits children who cannot yet speak. The older child, JV3 was taken to Zoey’s Place to be interviewed by a trained professional, the report said.
It was there where officials again asked JV3 what happens to JV2 at Fisher’s and the child stated, “She beats him up,” the report said. The child then stood up and started kicking his legs and throwing his arms. While doing this he was grunting, the report said. Then JV3 stated that is what Fisher does when she is mad.
On Sept. 21 the detective received a medical report from a Rushville detective. The report and medical exam referenced a juvenile victim, JV1. The report shows JV1 visited the emergency department at Major Hospital, Shelbyville. The visit was for injuries sustained at JV1’s babysitter’s residence, identified as Fisher.
The probable cause affidavit goes onto describe eight different victims identified as JV1 through JV8. One of the children, JV4, the parents were told, missed a step and fractured a lower extremity. This occurred in March, the report stated. The address for the home was Winfield Park, Greenfield. The address on Winfield Park, Greenfield is the previous residence where Fisher resided and had her babysitting business, the report said. The child — JV4 — also showed up with a black eye and swelling one day, the parents noted in the report.
Parents also told officials they feared the juvenile son of Fisher may have be picking on the kids which were babysat by Fisher. One parent stated they believed the instances with JV4 and other children occurred during school breaks when Fisher’s son would be present.
