No more jail time for couple who gave kids bourbon

A Greencastle couple who admitted giving alcohol to their two young children in an incident that was inexplicably videotaped, will do no further jail time following sentencing in Putnam Circuit Court.

Ashley D. Wilkins, 22, and Jeffrey L. Wilkins, 42, of 1044 Avenue E, Greencastle, were held on identical charges of neglect of a dependent, a Level 6 felony, and furnishing alcohol to a minor, a Class B misdemeanor, following their Feb. 19 arrests.

During a Feb. 20 initial hearing, they each pled guilty while rejecting the need for a court-appointed lawyer.

At a subsequent sentencing hearing before Senior Judge Carol Orbison, Putnam County Prosecutor Timothy Bookwalter asked that each parent receive a 60-day sentence and do 30 days apiece at separate times.

"I felt each of them needed to sit in jail and think about it," Bookwalter suggested. "That's why we played the tape for the judge."

On the video reportedly taken at their home in January or early February, Ashley Wilkins can be seen giving sips of alcohol to the two diaper-clad children, ages 18 months and three years.

The 18-month-old girl accepts the bourbon and disappears off-camera before the three-year-old boy drinks what is offered to him from a glass, but recoils at the taste and appears to spit out the liquid.

"He don't like bourbon," an off-camera male voice, purportedly Jeffrey Wilkins, announces.

The little girl then approaches her mother again.

"She's trying to get more," is overheard on the tape before Ashley Wilkins laughs and then offers in sing-song fashion, "Alcohol kids ..."

Following the sentencing recommendation of the Probation Department rather than the prosecutor's suggestion, the judge sentenced the East Side couple to two years in the Department of Correction on the neglect of dependent count and 60 days in the jail on the alcohol charge.

Judge Orbison, filling in for Circuit Court Judge Matt Headley, suspended both sentences and released the defendants for time served.

The couple did spend some time in jail after being arrested Feb. 20 and posting bond on Feb. 23.

Under questioning by Greencastle Police Det. Michael Collins, Ashley Wilkins initially said she never intentionally gave her children alcohol but they occasionally would sip drinks adults were consuming. Advised of the video to the contrary, she then admitted she had given alcohol to her kids "about three times."

While he was being questioned, Jeffrey Wilkins said he had given the children sips of alcohol two or three times on the theory they dislike the taste and thus not want to drink liquor.

Both Ashley and Jeffrey said they knew it was wrong to give any kind of alcohol to children, court records noted.