A Carney couple was charged with two counts of child neglect. The man was also charged with one count of child sexual abuse and oen count possession of a firearm after a former felony conviction.
In court documents filed on Feb. 13, Lindsey Hight, 35, and Michael Harrison, 48, were charged with child neglect for willfully or maliciously neglecting a 12-year-old and 9-yearold by failing to provide adequate supervision and/ orallowingthemtobeinthe presence of Harrison after being aware that he had been sexually inappropriate with Hight’s third child, a teen, from on or about Jan. 1, 2025 to Oct. 14, 2025.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Chief John Cobb of the Carney Police Department received a DHS referral on Sept. 6, 2025 regarding alleged lewd behavior by Harrison upon the 16-yearold child of his girlfriend, Hight. The juvenile was in a safe space at the time and scheduled for a forensic interview on Sept. 18. Cobb stated that the Carney PD would take the necessary steps in initiating an investigation after the completion of the interview.
The interview was conducted, during which the teen described multiple incidences of being molested by Harrison.The teen stated they told their mother, but Hight brushed it off and allegedly didn’t believe her. The teen stated Hight was often depressed and would stay in bed for days at a time, leaving the teen to care for the two younger children, the affidavit said. The affidavit said on Oct. 14, Ofc. Melissa Varney was notified by DHS of assistance needed. Varney arrived at the residence and was told by DHS employee Breylyn Dame that she was following up on reports that Hight had been allowing Harrison in the home, violating a safety plan put in place. Hight claimed that the relationship had ended. One child stated that they were instructed by their mothertolieaboutHarrison being at the home.
Dame notified her supervisor and a safety plan was put in place for the children to stay at a friends’ home. According to the affidavit, Varney was notified the next day that the children were removed from the home due to mom failing to protect them. Dame told Varney she had been unable to contact Harrison, so Varney made attempts, eventually speaking with his employer and confirming Harrison’s contact information. The next day, Varney was informed that Harrison had resigned from Cimarron Correctional Facility in Cushing.
On Nov. 17, a search warrant was executed at the residence. The children disclosed prior that the couple had firearms even though Harrison was previously convicted of a felonyinPayneCountyand wasn’t permitted to possess firearms. Hight and the man they purchased the firearm from claimed not to know that Harrison couldn’t have firearms, according to interviews included in the affidavit.
The police also found evidence showing that the relationship had not ended and that Hight was still allowing Harrison around the children, the affidavit said.