Father Of Child Covered In Feces: "I'm The Victim"

By Travis Thayer Raymond Goodrich II and Sharon Goodrich. Photos by the Dearborn County Sheriff's Department. (Greendale, Ind.) - A mother and father who allegedly forced their three-year-old to live in filth have been charged with neglect and criminal confinement. Greendale Police were forwarded a case from the Department of Child Services against Raymond L. Goodrich II, 52, and Sharon M. Goodrich, 34, in June. According to the report, a neighbor witnessed the couple's child playing with his own feces, and told a DCS employee that Sharon stated the child was being punished for pooping on the floor again. It was reported to DCS that a portion of the couple's home on the 5000 block of Craig Avenue in Greendale was trashed with food, tipped over pop cans, tipped over trash cans, open diapers and clothes. Additionally, it was reported that Sharon would often leave the home and leave the child unsupervised for an hour or so while Raymond was at work. Greendale Police responded to the residence on June 19 and observed two child gates stacked on top of each other, which kept the child confined to one end of the house trailer. Officers say the child's bed, walls and floor was covered with feces, urine, food and diapers and the room contained exposed outlets and wires. Officers also observed the child to be covered in feces from head to toe. According to a probable cause affidavit, Sharon told police that the child was only confined to the gated area while her husband was at work. On July 3, Greendale Police met with Raymond Goodrich II for an interview, where officers say he admitted to knowing that his wife kept his son confined in the gated area. When asked about sleeping arrangements, Goodrich II stated that he and his wife slept in the bedroom on the other end of the home, while the child remained confined to the gated area. It should be noted that DCS observed the kitchen and bedroom area where Raymond and Sharon stayed to be clean. Goodrich was advised by police that the environment he was providing was not safe for his child. He allegedly responded by saying he felt like the victim due to "nosey a** neighbors." Raymond and Sharon were both arrested on July 13 and charged with two counts of Neglect of a Dependent (Level 5 felony) and Criminal Confinement (Level 6 felony). The child was removed from the home and placed into foster care.