Joplin woman charged with endangering the welfare of her children

The Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney charged a Joplin woman today with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

The felony counts came following a Webb City Police Department and Children's Division investigation at a cockroach-infested home at 328 S. Pennsylvania Street where the children of  Kelli Marie Newberry (DOB 1993) were staying, according to the probable cause statement.

On 09/11/2025 officers responded to 328 S Pennsylvania St to assist the Missouri Department of
Social Services Children's Division on an investigation. I found that the suspect acted with criminal
negligence by creating a substantial risk to the health and safety of VI and V2. 

I found that while the suspect was responsible for the care, custody, and control of the children she failed to provide the care reasonable and necessary to maintain the physical and mental health of the children. and that such failure presented a substantial probability that physical or mental injury would occur.

I observed that the children's bed was a deflated air mattress on the floor and found a plethora of
cockroaches crawling under and in the children's bedding. I found that the kitchen of the residence
was also infested with cockroaches and other bugs and that they were crawling in and around food
stored in the open. 

The children were being subjected to multiple instances of domestic violence between adults in the house. The children were being subjected to adults in the home using drugs and the excessive use of alcohol. 

V I stated that she did not feel safe at home and that she would rather sleep somewhere else as bugs would crawl into her ears at night. V2 was able to describe adults in the home smoking marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia. 

Both VI and V2 told officers about witnessing domestic violence in the home both physical and verbal.

Kelli is the mother of VI and V2 and left them at this residence knowing of the living conditions and
the persons that would be in contact with the children.

VI and V2 were removed from the home by law enforcement.