GLASGOW — A social worker in Barren County has entered a plea of not guilty in connection to the sodomy of one child and abuse of several other children in her Market Street home.
Lanita Neal, an employee with the Department for Community Based Services in Barren County, is the mother of a juvenile who allegedly sodomized another minor relative. It’s unclear what her job status is since the crimes were alleged.
Glasgow Police received on Nov. 9, 2021, a report of alleged sexual assault involving a minor. Officers reported to a detective in the department that the assault allegedly happened over four months ago by a family friend, who is also a minor, according to a criminal complaint summons.
The detective talked to Neal several days after the complaint was received, and she confirmed her son “had been caught performing some ‘inappropriate touching’ with the same reported victim a couple of years ago.” She also told police she and the victim’s mother had talked about the incident and “worked it out.”
Both juveniles were interviewed. The victim alleged he was sexually assaulted while the juvenile aggressor’s brother watched. Neal apparently “whipped” the aggressor and “made him stand in the corner.”
The alleged juvenile aggressor admitted to the act of sodomy during an interview with police, the summons said. During the interview, the detective noted the aggressor “had been coached by Neal [his mother] concerning some of his answers.”
The summons also said the juvenile victim’s mother confirmed he was hospitalized at some point since the incident from complications of the abuse. Neal had apparently “begged her [the victim’s mother] not to report the incident to police,” according to the summons.
Another incident was reported Dec. 27 when a person called police after three children arrived at her apartment along East Main Street “for help.”
“The caller stated the children had not eaten all day and came over to her house for food,” according to another criminal summons.
Police arrived and saw a child with bruises on his face and blood coming from his ear. The children alleged 27-year-old Caleb Shea “had become angry with the child and open slapped the boy in the face.” Police noted wounds on the other children, too.
The children said their mother, who police identified as Neal, would leave them at home each morning with no food before returning later in the day with Shea. Police confirmed the two are engaged to marry.
The children were taken to an area hospital and a physician confirmed the appeared to be from abuse, the summons said. One child confirmed they saw Shea bite the child.
The child also had rib fractures of varying healing stages, several burn marks and an ear infection.
Neal was served the two summonses for failure to report child neglect or abuse. She faces two counts of the charge. Neal has pleaded not guilty, according to the Barren Circuit Clerk’s Office. She is scheduled to appear in Barren District Court on Monday, May 2 at 8:30 a.m. It’s unclear if she has an attorney.
Jail records indicate Shea was arrested Feb. 9 for criminal abuse of a child but was later released.