Couple arrested twice for child neglect

GREENWOOD, Ind. (WISH) - A Greenwood couple was arrested last week after their child, 3, was found wandering outside.

24-Hour News 8 news partner The Daily Journal reports Bunny Barton, 27, and Robert Barton, 29, were arrested Friday for neglect of a dependent. Bunny was also arrested on the same charge on March 9, the first time the child was found wandering outside of the Westminster Apartment complex.

The child was found Friday by neighbor Autumn Spoonamore.

“She ran right in front (of our car).  We jumped out and said why are you out at 8 p.m. at night?  Why are you in such little clothes because she was just in a zip up jacket?” said Spoonamore.

Spoonamore says the little girl was chasing after a dog.  Spoonamore knew where the dog lived so she knocked on the door but no one answered.

“I followed her down that alley and we caught up with her and had her walk with us and waited until the cops came,” said Spoonamore.

When police knocked on the door, no one answered. Officers went inside and they found Bunny and Robert Bartron asleep in the living room.

Police had trouble waking the couple up.

“In this case they didn't even know their kid was gone after an hour,” said Greenwood Assistant Police Chief Matt Fillenwarth.

After questioning the couple, police confiscated several bottles of prescription pain killers from Robert Bartron.

“Folks seemed a little lethargic. The medications they found would cause you to be drowsy,” said Fillenwarth.

Police say it appeared the 3-year-old girl pushed a chair over to the door, and unlatched the metal security chain to get outside.

On March 9, the child was found at the complex wearing just underwear. When police located Bunny 45 minutes later, she said she would install more locks on the apartment door so the child wouldn’t get out again.

Child Protective services placed the couples two children in foster care.