Peru – Yesterday evening, a criminal investigation by Indiana State Police Detective Josh Maller resulted in the arrest of Jennifer Rowe, 36, Peru, IN. Detective Maller served Rowe with a Miami Superior Court II arrest warrant alleging a felony charge for neglect of a dependent (education).
Maller started an investigation after receiving information that Rowe was not ensuring her 15 year-old daughter was attending school as required by Indiana law. Maller’s investigation revealed that from August 4, 2015 until November 6, 2015, the girl allegedly totaled 44 absences at Peru High School. There appeared to be no valid reason for the girl to miss school. Rowe allegedly did not take any reasonable steps to get her daughter to attend school.
“The school and the Indiana Department of Child Services set up an agreement with Rowe for her daughter to maintain a certain percentage of attendance at school, “stated Detective Maller. “The agreement was not honored by Rowe resulting in the criminal investigation.”
Laws pertaining to this case:
IC 35-46-1-4 Neglect of a dependent – education. A level 6 felony
(4) Deprives the dependent of education as required by law; commits neglect of a dependent.
IC 20-33-2-27 Compulsory attendance; parent’s responsibility
Sec. 27. (a) It is unlawful for a parent to fail to ensure that the parent’s child attends school as required under this chapter.
(b) Before proceedings are instituted against a parent for a violation of this section, personal notice of the violation shall be served on the parent by the superintendent or the superintendent’s designee.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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