Schuylkill man pleads guilty in endangerment case
A North Manheim Township man who visited his girlfriend in the hospital, leaving his 22-month-old son in a makeshift wooden cage and his newborn and 1-year-old home alone pleaded guilty Wednesday in Schuylkill County court to three counts of recklessly endangering another person.
Three counts of endangering welfare of children were dropped in plea negotiations.
Judge John E. Domalakes ordered a presentence investigation before sentencing Cecil E. Kutz, 40, at 9:45 a.m. Aug. 28.
His girlfriend, Tiffany S. George, 27, now of St. Clair, was charged on May 26, 2017 by state police at Schuylkill Haven with having a controlled substance she was not authorized to have.
She also pleaded guilty Wednesday, and Domalakes sentenced her to time served to 12 months, with 38 days credit.
She was immediately placed on parole.
It wasn’t clear Wednesday whether either parent had regained custody of the children.
Kutz was represented by Daniel C. Nevins of Reading. George was represented by public defender Christopher M. Riedlinger.
According to court testimony and an affidavit of probable cause filed by trooper Thomas J. Robin of the Schuylkill Haven barracks, Kutz on May 17, 2017 left the children alone in a hot, dirty house while he visited his girlfriend in the hospital where she was being treated for complications after giving birth at home.
Kutz had called an ambulance at 9:30 a.m. that day after George, then 26, began bleeding heavily after having given birth the night before.
George told hospital staff her newborn was at home.
When police went to the home, they found the toddler in the locked plywood and lattice cage, and the newborn in a car seat.
The children, who had been alone for at least 40 minutes, were placed in the care of Schuylkill County Children & Youth Services.
