The court had denied an earlier request in 2000.
By Lisa Chmelecki
Staff writer

AUBURN – A man convicted in 1997 of killing a toddler by binding her to a bed was given permission Thursday to have contact with children under the age of 6.

Robert Bean, 33, spent two years and 17 days in prison for the death of 21-month-old Kelsie Marie Glenn.

The girl was found dead on the morning of April 6, 1995, with her head face down and her arms belted at her sides. A medical examiner concluded that she stopped breathing when she was unable to roll over.

During Bean’s trial six years ago, prosecutors argued that he bound the toddler’s arms with a belt, sexually molested her and then suffocated her while trying to keep her from screaming.

Bean, who lived with the girl’s mother at the time, claimed that he tied the toddler to the bed to keep her from sleepwalking.

A jury found him guilty of manslaughter, and Justice Thomas E. Delahanty II sentenced him to five years in prison followed by six years of probation.

Bean was released early for good behavior and is serving his probation period. As part of the original terms of his probation, he was barred from having any contact with children under the age of 6 without specific permission from his probation officer.

On Thursday, Justice Delahanty lifted that condition, giving Bean the OK to be around toddlers without his probation officer’s permission as long as another adult is with him at all times.

It was the second time that Bean asked for the condition to be removed.

He asked in May 2000 because he wanted to move to Florida to live with his mother, sister and her four young children. But the court denied his request.

Bean waited nearly three years to ask again.

This time, he told the court that he wanted the condition lifted because he wants to live with his brother in Florida. His brother’s house is located around the corner from a school, and Florida law prohibits people with such legal conditions from living that close to places where young kids congregate.

Bean told Delahanty that he plans to work for his brother’s automobile detail shop and take college classes. A licensed clinical social worker who has been treating Bean for several months testified in support of lifting the condition.

“He seems to be appropriate with children,” the social worker said, “as much as any average person would be.”

Over the past few years, Bean’s probation officer has allowed him to attend birthday parties, baptisms and other celebrations for his nieces and nephews.

“I find that the defendant has made progress,” Delahanty concluded before granting Bean’s request to lift the condition. “I do think things have evolved.”

The judge explained that the court favors removing conditions gradually, as opposed to having everything lifted at once when the probation period ends.

lchmelecki@sunjournal.com