Two say ‘not guilty’ to child endangerment charges in fire

Two Nashua residents have entered not guilty pleas in response to charges of child endangerment that the Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office filed on Nov. 20 following an investigation into an Oct. 10 house fire at 515 Brasher St.Three minor children, ages 7, 6 and 2, were at the house at the time of the fire, according to a criminal complaint.The 7-year-old, whom Nashua Fire Department removed from the house fire and conducted CPR on, was taken by ambulance to Charles City, then flown by helicopter to Iowa City for care owing to serious smoke inhalation.Reporting deputy Kerri Miller later contacted the 6- and 2-year-old at a neighbor’s house and found them “conscious and responsive.” They were treated for minor smoke inhalation at Mercy Medical Center in New Hampton.While the 7-year-old was treated in Iowa City, a hair sample was collected that tested positive for methamphetamine, “resulting in an immediate removal of the minor children from the defendant and her boyfriend, who was a household member.”The children’s mother, Heather S. Brymer, 29, and household member Olngellel Camacho, 32, were each charged with three counts of child endangerment on grounds they “knowingly act[ed] in a manner that created a substantial risk to [each minor child in the household]’s physical, mental or emotional health or safety,” and in the case of the felony C charge [filed against both Brymer and Camacho] relating to the 7-year-old, adds “which resulted in serious injury.”— For more on this story see the Dec. 20 Nashua Reporter and Dec. 21 New Hampton Tribune.