The felony charges against a Joshua Tree couple accused of three felony counts of child abuse were dropped this morning in exchange for six misdemeanor charges. Deputy District Attorney Michelle Bergey filed three charges Wednesday morning of willful cruelty to a child and three charges of failure to address truancy against Daniel Panico, 73, and Mona Kirk, 51. Panico and Kirk were arrested February 28 after a deputy found them, along with their three children, 11, 13, and 14, and dozens of cats, living in a plywood structure on their property in the 7000 block of Sunfair Road. The structure, originally described by deputies as a “box” no taller than 4 feet high, had no heat, electricity, or plumbing. Daniel Panico and Mona Kirk pleaded not guilty this morning to the misdemeanor charges.
