Father of 11 pleads guilty in neglect case

Jeremy Long is escorted out of the courthouse by Wilbert Williams of the Burke County Jail after receiving his sentence. The father of 11 children who were discovered living in squalor was sentenced to three years in jail and 10 years probation.

Last Wednesday, Jeremy Long, 38, pleaded guilty to five counts of cruelty to children in the second degree and four counts of failure to educate. Five additional counts of cruelty to children in the second degree were dismissed. Assistant district attorney Kristi Connell recommended the sentence as part of a plea negotiation designed to keep Long's children from having to testify in a trial.

Long has been in jail unable to make bond since August 9, 2008. He turned himself in about a week after deputies discovered his wife, Christine, and their children living in filth in a four-room house with no electricity or running water on Springhill Church Road. The children, who ranged in age from 10 months to 18 years, had never been to school, received immunizations or been to a dentist. The older children could not read, Connell said. The two youngest were naked, according to deputies, when they were discovered.

"This is probably the worst neglect case our office has ever seen," Connell said. "The environment they lived in was horrible."

She stressed, however, that there was no evidence of other types of abuse.

"This is not a case that involves sexual or any type of physical abuse," Connell told Superior Court Judge James G. Blanchard, referencing allegations made in the Long couple's pending divorce case. "We have investigated those claims and found no evidence of that after speaking to the children. We would not be making this recommendation if we thought he had physically abused these children or raped his wife."

Assistant public defender Alexia Davis called Mr. Long a hard working father who simply didn't believe in asking for public assistance when he was not able to properly provide for his family though his work in construction. She said Mr. Long was home schooled as a child and wanted the same for his children, though the education they received did not meet the "standards of the general community."

Davis said Mr. Long's focus is on the well-being of his children, who he has recently been granted permission to see after about 10 months in custody.

Ten of the children remain in foster care, while the oldest is living with their mother who is free on bond.

As a condition of Mr. Long's sentence, Judge Blanchard also ordered that he stay in the area and accept any public assistance available for their benefit if he is granted custody of his children upon his release. He must also complete 100 hours of community service while on proba- tion and remain gainfully employed.

Mrs. Long still faces 10 counts of cruelty to children and five counts of failure to educate.

Attorneys recently indicated that she would not likely accept a plea negotiation and is seeking a jury trial.