Stephanie Loveless, 34, pleaded guilty to two charges of endangering children and one count of possession of drugs (Vicodin).
Loveless, the mother of two girls ages six and ten at the time of the assault admitted to sending her children to Marion to be babysat by David Vreeland, who repeatedly sexually assaulted the two young girls. Vreeland was convicted of unlawful sexual contact with a minor and is now a registered Tier II sex offender.
According to assistant prosecutor Ryan Hoovler, the girls told their mother of the abuse and begged not to go back to Vreeland. Loveless ignored their pleas and sent them anyway.
Hoovler told the court that both the girls were removed from their mother’s custody and are doing well despite all they had to overcome. Hoovler said he got to know the girls during the investigation and said the oldest daughter would have never made it if not for her perseverance.
“She is a very smart and brave little girl,” Hoovler said. “It’s sad to think what she could have accomplished with her life if she had not been assaulted.”
Hoovler called the case sad.
“Miss Loveless had the opportunity to do what every mother should do, protect their children,” Hoovler said. “All she had to do was believe her daughters. These little girls still love their mother and neither of them wanted to see this happen to their mom.”
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