Rockville woman booked on neglect of a dependent charges

Monday, April 14, 2025 at 5:08 PM

By Paul Gable

A Rockville woman found herself behind bars in the Parke County Jail after being arrested and charged with three felony counts of neglect of a dependent.

According to police and court documents, early last month, a Rockville Police officer responded to Rockville Elementary School to meet with the school nurse, who told the officer she had a student who was showing signs of flu like symptoms. The victim told the nurse her mother, Ruthan Lynette Adams, no longer lived with her and her siblings and there was no parent at home anymore. The nurse was able to make contact with an older sibling, who stated they would come and pick their sibling up, but never did, prompting police to have the nurse call Child Protective Services and file a report.

Two days later, the officer returned to Rockville Elementary School to see if the student had made it back to school and was notified the student was absent. After visiting the residence and not finding anyone or lights on, the officer spoke to another victim at Parke Heritage High School. The second victim told police her mother moved out in December of 2024 after the victims told their mother her boyfriend made them feel uncomfortable.

Officers also spoke to an individual, who lives in Danville, who told police the children did not have much access to food at their home and that all of the children's socks, underwear and toiletries are locked inside their mother's bedroom and they have no access to the items. The individual also told police the house was "filthy" and the children do not have access to clean laundry unless she washes the clothes for them. In addition, the individual stated that when the children get medicine, Adams would keep the medicine for herself and had not taken the children to see an eye doctor or dentist despite one of the children complaining of tooth pain.

Adams was arrested and charged with three felony counts of neglect on a dependent. She has been housed in the Parke County Jail on a $10,000 bond since her arrest.