From staff reports
A couple from Cherrytree Township are facing child endangerment charges after being accused of neglecting to get their son proper dental care.
According to a criminal complaint, caseworkers from Venango County Children & Youth Services made contact with the 5-year-old son of James Long, 31, and Amanda Obert, 31, after a school official filed a report of suspected child abuse to ChildLine on May 3.
The child was found to have a swollen mouth and what appeared to be an infected tooth, the complaint said. It appeared, the complaint said, the majority of the boy’s teeth were decayed and the house he lived in was in a “deplorable condition.”
The boy’s mother had been previously incarcerated, according to the complaint.
The same day the child was removed from the house, he was placed in the care of his maternal grandparents, who took him to Titusville Hospital where he was diagnosed with a dental abscess, the complaint said.
During a follow-up appointment at the Salvation Army Dental Center on May 7, it was found 14 out of 20 of the boy’s teeth were in need of dental treatment and there was visible decay of the teeth in all quadrants of his mouth, the complaint said.
The boy required oral surgery and the dentist was of the opinion that the boy’s condition was the result of dental neglect, the complaint said.
Further investigation, the complaint said, revealed the boy’s parents had a history of failing to make it to scheduled medical and dental appointments for their son.
At a dental exam on Sept. 14, 2018, it was determined the boy had several “severely decayed” teeth and he was scheduled to have them extracted, the complaint said.
The dental office, the complaint said, called Long and Obert and left a message for them, and sent a text message to them but received no response, the complaint said.
The office, the complaint said, sent them a letter expressing concern about the boy’s missed appointment.
Long and Obert each have been charged with a felony count of endangering the welfare of children and a misdemeanor count of recklessly endangering another person.
Obert is currently incarcerated at Crawford County jail for felony counts of theft by deception – false impression and receiving stolen property.
Long has not been located as of Tuesday afternoon.
