Parents Face Neglect Charges After Toddler Found Wandering

Two Eau Claire parents face child neglect charges after police officers found their toddler wandering the West Riverside Neighborhood on two recent occasions.

LaVonne Tillery, 24, and Phillip A. Geissler, 29, both of 2220 Second St., were charged with one count each of child abuse.

The maximum penalty for that charge is nine months in jail and a $10,000 fine. But because Tillery and Geissler had previous convictions, they could get an extra two years jail, if convicted.

Tillery's next court appearance is July 9 and Geissler has a June 17 appearance scheduled.

According to the criminal complaint, Eau Claire police officers found the 3-year-old girl wandering around Second Street at about 9:39 a.m. on May 24, wearing socks but no shoes.

Officers questioned nearby neighbors to find her parents and eventually were given an address about two blocks from where they found the girl.

When officers arrived at the home, there were car batteries and furniture on the lawn, missing windows and the home's interior had dog feces on the floor, dirty laundry scattered about and no electricity. The girl's bedroom had dog feces on the floor and on the bed.

Officers found the two parents upstairs and had to yell multiple times to wake them. Tillery claimed that medication made her drowsy and a preliminary alcohol test of Geissler showed that he had recently been drinking.

Another officer had been to the house several days earlier because the young girl had left the couple's yard through a hole in the fence.

The Eau Claire County Human Services Department began caring for the toddler and the couple surrendered a young puppy to the police.


By Leader-Telegram staff