4 Joplin children removed from home, parents charged with child abuse/neglect

From the probable cause statement:

Arrest warrants have been issued for a Joplin couple with bond set at $100,000 cash only after the discovery of four children living in home with no running water, no air conditioning, feces and urine all over the floor, live and dead bugs in every room of the house and a "strong odor of rotten food," according to a probable cause statement filed Friday in Jasper County Circuit Court.

Melissa Gale Harter (DOB 1980) and Jose Robles (DOB 1979) were charged with four counts of child abuse or neglect.

Under the conditions of their bond, Harter and Robles are not to be near anyone under age 18 if they are able to post bond.

From Melissa Harter's probable cause statement:

On July 31st, 2025, I, Officer Weaver was dispatched to an assist citizen at 1951 East Manitou Street, Joplin, 64801, Jasper County, Missouri. 

While on scene at the residence, and after detectives took over the death investigation, officers completed paperwork for the authorization to provide alternative care for four children, a 17-year-old (victim 1), a 11-year-old (victim 2), a ten-year-old (victim 3), and an 8-year-old (victim 4) who were found living in dangerous conditions in the small front room of the home with their two parents and two dogs. 

The home had no air conditioning, no running water, only a few cans of food were found in the kitchen, the refrigerator was not working and had a strong foul odor of rotten food, and the home had feces and urine all over the floor. There were bugs covering most of every room, alive and dead. 

When I saw the children, they appeared dirty and malnourished; their skin was pale, and they appeared underweight. 

While waiting for a social services specialist for the children's division to arrive on scene, Melissa Harter fled on foot from officers with her four children. Officers utilized pinging Melissa's phone to find her location at a friend's home at 3025 W 17th Street, and she was caught hiding in the shed when officers located her children. 

The children's father was also found at 3025 W 17th Street, and after giving two fake aliases, he finally identified himself as Jose Robles. The children were then placed into the custody of the children's division. 

Melissa was arrested on four counts of child abuse and neglect for 'knowingly causing a child who is less than eighteen years of age to be placed in a situation in which the child may suffer physical or mental injury as the result of abuse or neglect' and transported to the Joplin city jail.

The probable cause statement did not offer details of the death investigation that was mentioned.

The case was investigated by the Joplin Police Department.