(12-5-24) A Berne couple, Sintia Perez and Jace Hirschy, appeared in Adams Circuit Court today on charges of neglect of a dependent after a two-year-old was found dead in a room with temperatures of up to 109 degrees.

Sintia Perez and Jace Hirschy

The couple were arrested on November 27 and have been charged with –

  • 1 count of Neglect of a Dependent Resulting in Death, a Level 1 Felony
  • 1 count of Neglect of a Dependent, a Level 6 Felony
  • 1 count of Neglect of a Dependent, a Level 6 Felony

In court documents the Berne Police Department responded to Swiss Meadows Apartments on November 27 just before 3:30 p.m. on calls for a death investigation. When officers arrived on scene they found Perez and Hirschy along with their two children, a five and three-year-old.

Upon arriving at the home officers noticed trash thrown throughout the home, making it difficult to move through the home. During the search they found cockroaches in the home as well as a pot on the stove that contained mold and several flies.

While investigating they went to the bedroom of the home and found a closet where the two-year-old slept and immediately felt a big temperature change between the bedroom and the closet.

When entering the closet, officers found the two-year-old on a soiled mattress and diaper with her body discolored, feces was found in the corner of the closet. The temperature of multiple surfaces of the closet finding a range from 85 degrees to 109 degrees.

An autopsy later revealed that the two-year-old died of hyperthermia, with the body temperature of the child measuring up to 109.4 degrees at the scene.

Perez said that she put the two-year-old to bed at 7 p.m. the previous night, turning on a space heater and nearly closing the door all the way. Perez woke up the next day at 12:30 p.m. and neither parent checked on the child until after 3 p.m.

The two other children were taken into custody by the Department of Child Services, both were found to have lice.

Perez and Hirschy are currently in the Adams County Jail. They are due in court for a pretrial conference on February 14, 2025 with a jury trial planned for March 7, 2025.

Zaelynn Hirschy Obituary

Zaelynn K. Hirschy 2, of Berne, entered into the arms of Jesus on Wednesday November 27, 2024 at her residence. She was born in Decatur, IN., on February 27, 2022 to Jace Hirschy and Sintia Perez.

Zaelynn was full of love and life. She always seemed to have her tongue out having fun and being happy. Zaelynn had big beautiful crystal blue eyes and long long eyelashes and they brightened up the room every time she smiled.  Her entire family will miss this spunky little girl greatly.

She is survived by her parents Jace Hirschy and Sintia Perez of Berne, her siblings Kiyah and Jaxson Hirschy at home, her grandparents Kathy (Mike) Brainerd of Bluffton, IN., Todd Hirschy of Geneva, IN., Sharon Garcia of Berne, IN., and several aunts and uncles.

A private family service will be held at a later date, at Haggard-Hirschy and Zelt Funeral Home. Pastor Rocky Evans will be officiating.