DA Unable To Pursue Misdemeanor Charges Against Hillyer

2/17/12 – A Beaver Dam woman accused of turning a blind eye to the abuse of her children had a preliminary hearing rescheduled for next month. 33-year-old Mandy Molina was scheduled to be in court Thursday on two felony counts of Child Abuse- Failure to Prevent Harm and three misdemeanor counts of Child Neglect. Meanwhile, we are starting to learn more about the events leading up to the January 20 arrest of Molina and her boyfriend, 44-year-old Larry Hillyer, who is being held on a $25,000 cash bond in connection with the severe physical and psychological abuse of three children. Hillyer was ordered to have no contact with Molina three days before police uncovered what’s being called the worst case of child abuse in the city’s history. According to police records, officers were called to St. Katherine Drexel School on January 17 after Molina reportedly slipped a note to staff that read, “emergency call police.” Hillyer was arrested and taken into custody on misdemeanor charges of Disorderly Conduct and Battery and was ordered to have no contact with Molina for 72 hours. Two days later, Molina called police to her North Center Street home to report that her mother refused to leave the residence and was trespassing. According to the police briefing from January 19, the mother voluntarily complied. The next day officers acting on a tip from a relative conducted a welfare check at the same residence and found three kids – ages 12, seven and one – bruised and burned, starving and freezing, huddled together on a couch wrapped in blankets. The Dodge County District Attorneys office says they cannot pursue the misdemeanor charges against Hillyer for the January 17 incident because Molina did not cooperate with investigators to the extent needed for charges. Managing Attorney Bob Barrington says the DA’s office (quote) “did not close the case at that time, but remained hopeful that the police department’s continued contact would convince her to complete her statement.” A judge will decide on March 1 if there is enough evidence to order a trial against Molina on allegations that she did not protect her children from Hillyer’s abuse.