Parkton woman charged with child neglect

Parkton, N.C. — Detectives have charged a 31-year-old Parkton woman with child neglect.

Jacqueline Burden, of 7337 Hypony Trail, was arrested Tuesday at her home, Cumberland County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Debbie Tanna said in a press release.

Detectives had been investigating Burden since Feb. 20, after receiving a complaint of unsanitary living conditions at her home, where five children live.

On Tuesday, authorities found a 13-year-old at the residence. Health and safety issues were found due to a sewer system failure. Excrement was found on the bathroom wall, and spoiled food was in the refrigerator, they said.

The children were placed in the custody of the state Department of Social Services.

Burden faces five misdemeanor counts of contributing to the neglect of a juvenile. She was released from the Cumberland County Detention Center under a $1,500 bond and has a court date on April 14.

Property crimes detectives also charged Burden with felony possession of stolen property. She was given a $2,500 bond on that charge and was expected to be in court Wednesday.

6 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

VIEW ALL 6 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Latest Comments

I teach the children of these neglectors and abusers. They are the saddest children...full of mistrust and anger, frequently absent from school, wearing the same clothes over and over. The state needs to know that PARENTS...NOT teachers...are leaving these children behind and should be held accountable. NCLB should be for parents who don't feed their kids or look after them at all. These people should have their kids taken away. Teachers and schools are everything to these students...we fill backpacks with food for them to take home. We do everything humanly possible to meet their basic needs. I am sick to death of everyone talking about testing outcomes and teacher responsibility. How about parents stepping up to the plate? Don't have children if you aren't going to love them and look after them.

thnkb4uspk
March 11, 2009 1:30 p.m.

Why do these people keep having several kids and don't care enough to raise them in a proper environment? I'll never understand.

thecatsmeow
March 11, 2009 1:01 p.m.

This is pitiful. I think people would be surprised at the number of children that are having to live in similar situations. Very sad.

JaydensMom08
March 11, 2009 12:51 p.m.

give me a SSI check for drugs and alchol. i can have six kids for you to take care of shortly. Raise my taxes Perdue so i can help take care of this poor woman.

ech
March 11, 2009 12:38 p.m.

SEE FOLKS!! This is the REAL danger to most kids in NC; not sex offenders on MySpace!!!