Haskell foster parents charged with child neglect after young girl seen outside in freezing cold

Two foster parents in Muskogee County are charged with child neglect after investigators say the couple left a 7-year-old girl in frigid temperatures last week.

Police said she had no shoes or coat on and was wearing pajamas. Haskell Police went to the home, and they say the foster mother told the officer the girl was outside for two minutes as a way to “reset,” but the neighbor who called 911 said it was more like 15 minutes.

Andrew and Kaytlin Fultz have not been booked into jail yet, but are expected to turn themselves in Tuesday.

An eyewitness took video last week, showing the girl outside, saying she was cold and begging to come back inside.

What the Affidavit Says

Muskogee County District Attorney's Office filed child neglect charges against both foster parents Monday. The affidavit says it was snowy and icy, and 12 degrees last Tuesday. The affidavit says the woman told officers this is a method she uses to "reset" and said the girl needed to "let it all out" and the girl refused to put on her shoes.

The affidavit says police came back to the house the next day, and there were four children in the home.

The documents say the woman told police the girl has “severe trauma" and "the method she used to reset the child's behavior worked has worked well in the past."

It says the officer told Kaytlin to find a different method when the weather is like this, and she agreed.

Haskell Police went to the house later that day and talked to a DHS worker, who said they had no concerns about the wellbeing of the children in the home, and that the method the foster mom used was "likely more effective than forcing the girl to sit down and put shoes on."

Foster Mother is a Teacher

Kaytlin Fultz is a teacher at Preston Public Schools and is on administrative leave. The Oklahoma State Department of Education says it is also investigating.

News On 6 knocked on the Fultz’s door last week but they had no comment.

DHS sent us a statement saying the safety of children is their top priority.  

Previous Stories:

1. Haskell girl removed from foster parents home after video shows her left outside in freezing temps
2. Dept. of Education investigating Oklahoma teacher accused of leaving foster child outside in cold weather
3. Video shows Haskell foster child left outside in freezing cold; Police recommend charges