BEDFORD – A Springville resident, Cherry Blattert, received her sentence Friday morning in Lawrence County Superior Court II for charges of child neglect and domestic battery. Special Judge Christine Talley Haseman handed down a sentence of two years probation for neglect of a dependent, a Level 6 felony, and one year of probation for domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor.
During the sentencing, Judge Haseman emphasized that requests from Blattert’s former daughters influenced the ruling. “I want to stress this is a request from your children. Your former daughters have an important voice in this case, and I hear them,” stated Haseman. “I am not going to send you to jail at this time, assuming you do not violate the terms of your probation.”
The judge acknowledged Blattert’s dual role in the case, noting that while she was under her husband’s control, she also participated in harming her children. As part of the sentence, Blattert was labeled as a domestic batterer and must undergo mental health evaluation and treatment, along with paying court fees.
Significantly, Judge Haseman ordered Blattert to have no contact with her husband, Scott, warning, “You said his control got you here, and that is why you didn’t take steps to prevent the abuse. You are to make no visits to the prison and accept no phone calls from him….if you violate this order, you will serve jail time after all.”
While no witnesses spoke at the hearing, letters from Blattert’s two oldest children were read aloud, expressing their disappointment: “You let us all down,” “You continued to betray us in open court,” and “Not only did you allow it to happen but you contributed to it.” Despite their criticism, both victims expressed forgiveness and requested leniency from the court.
Taking the stand in her defense, Blattert acknowledged her failings: “This was a bad turn of events, and I accept my responsibility.” She expressed regret and addressed her female victims directly, expressing love and hope for future reconciliation. “So many things I wish I would have done differently,” she stated. “I failed in many ways as a mother and failed to protect you as a precious child of God.”
The case originated from a November 2019 arrest, where Blattert initially faced more serious charges, including neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury, a Level 5 felony. During her husband’s trial, she testified about the couple’s religious beliefs, describing her husband as “the head of the house” and stating that “God is sovereign in all parts of our life.” The couple unsuccessfully attempted to use Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act to defend their disciplinary methods.
In a separate case, Cherry Blattert previously pleaded guilty to invasion of privacy for violating a protective order by contacting her children after her initial arrest. For this offense, she received a largely suspended 365-day jail sentence with four days of jail time credit, with the remaining time to be served on supervised probation. This sentence will run consecutively with today’s sentencing.
Blattert filed for divorce from her husband on October 28, 2024, with pending proceedings. All of the Blatterts’ children have been placed with foster families or were adopted following the termination of their parental rights.
The case was presented by Chief Prosecutor Joshua Scherschel, with Defense Attorney Dorothy A. Maryan representing Blattert.
