Knox Woman Charged with Neglect of a Dependent after Daughter Misses Several Months of School

A Knox woman has been charged with felony neglect of a dependent, after allegedly failing to send her daughter to school for several months. A probable cause affidavit says Deanna D. Fultz notified Knox Middle School last November that her daughter would have “irregular daily attendance” due to an illness.

It was reportedly suggested that the student might return in November or December, but as of a couple months ago, school officials say she still hasn’t been back to class. School Resource Officer Travis Schieber said in the probable cause affidavit that many attempts to contact Fultz were unsuccessful.

Fultz did reportedly send Principal Jake Skelly an email back in April, and Officer Schieber says he was able to contact her at her home in September. At the time, Fultz said her daughter was experiencing medical difficulties, according to Schieber, but failed to give any documentation. Schieber says Fultz verified that her daughter still had her school-issued computer.

School officials say that as of September, the student hadn’t attended any day of the current school year, resulting in all unexcused absences and zero-percent completed work.

Suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.