Iola couple accused of child neglect
By Robert Cloud
An Iola couple face felony charges for the death of their 2-year-old child.
Cody L. Deschler, 30, and Emily M. Ferg, 27, are charged with child neglect resulting in death.
Their daughter became trapped between the slats in her bed and asphyxiated on June 12.
According to the criminal complaint, the girl was sleeping in a homemade, lofted bed about 3 feet above the floor.
When the child apparently tried to climb out of the bed feet first, her legs and torso slipped between the slats, but her shoulders became wedged.
Due to the height of the bed the girl’s feet could not reach the floor.
Ferg and Deschler were sleeping in another room at the time of the incident.
They did not hear anything because a TV in the child’s room was playing loud enough that the parents could hear it over the TV in their room.
Deschler told investigators the child had figured out how to climb over the railing and use items surrounding her bed to make her way down to the floor level, the complaint says.
Ferg told investigators she knew that the bed as it was built was hazardous and noted she intended lowering the bed to floor level to make it safe, but that had not been done.
She reportedly designed and built the bed with Deschler’s assistance.
The complaint was filed Monday and an initial court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 29.
If convicted, they could each serve up to 25 years in prison.