By EDIE HALL

The Hutchinson News

NESS CITY -- A Ness City man has been charged with mistreatment of a dependent adult after authorities found his girlfriend stuck to the toilet in his bathroom.

Ness County Attorney Craig Crosswhite filed the charge against Kory McFarren on Monday in Ness County District Court before Magistrate Judge James R. Kepple.

"I looked at the statutes and spoke to the attorney general's office," Crosswhite said. "This was a very unusual set of circumstances, and this is the law that most closely applied to the situation."

Mistreatment of a dependent adult is a Level 6 person felony crime in Kansas, which carries 17 months' presumptive probation to 46 months in prison, depending on the defendant's criminal background. Crosswhite said he's unaware if McFarren has any criminal background. Therefore, if convicted, McFarren is likely to face 1Ôªø1âÑ2 years' probation.

McFarren couldn't be reached Wednesday for comment.

In late February, McFarren called the Ness County Sheriff's office and told officers something was wrong with his girlfriend, Pam Babcock.

When law enforcement arrived at McFarren's trailer home, they found Babcock on the toilet seat, where they believe she had been sitting for a month. The seat was stuck to open sores on Babcock's buttocks and was removed by medical personnel.

McFarren told police his girlfriend had been in the bathroom for nearly two years.

Babcock now is in a Wichita hospital.

Crosswhite said he based his decision to file the charges on facts uncovered in the sheriff's office investigation. Officers conducted interviews with McFarren, medical personnel and relatives of both McFarren and Babcock. So far, Babcock has refused to grant officers an interview.

Crosswhite said he doesn't anticipate additional charges, short of more evidence surfacing that would warrant them.

Because of its unusualness, the case has garnered international attention. Some reports poked fun at the situation -- something that angered Crosswhite.

"This is really a tragic situation," he said. "It's not humorous; it's tragic."

Crosswhite said McFarren's first appearance would be in April but did not know the exact date.