Man discharged early from probation

George Bariames, 41, now living in Las Vegas, was released from probation Monday, closing a chapter in a case which began when deputies found his wife dead on the floor of their Lake Tahoe apartment and the couple's infant son severely malnourished.

"Although this started out as a horrible case - his child suffered because of his actions - he has paid his debt to society," District Judge Michael Gibbons said.

Bariames, who received a five-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty in 2003 to felony child neglect and endangerment, did not attend the hearing.

His lawyer, Derrick Lopez, said Bariames was an unusual defendant.

"He was never in trouble before. He withdrew from medication without supervision and had delusional thinking. He always cared about his son and was devastated at the loss of his wife. He is somebody not likely to be in trouble again with the law," Lopez said.

According to parole and probation, Bariames had completed all the terms including paying more than $8,000 restitution and his attorney's fees, maintained employment and abstained from drugs and alcohol.

"It's been almost four years since his guilty plea and there have been no problems," Gibbons said. "He performed extremely well. He is off drugs and has a good job. He put the child first."

Gibbons said proceedings regarding the custody of Bariames' son Nicholas, now 5, had been transferred to family court in Las Vegas.

Following Bariames' arrest in September 2002, the child's maternal grandparents were given custody with permission for George Bariames to visit his son.

An autopsy indicated that Debbie Bariames, who also was withdrawing from medication, died of severe dehydration, and Bariames was not charged in her death.

Douglas County sheriff's deputies responded to Bariames' apartment in Stateline for a welfare check on Sept. 21, 2002.

Debbie Bariames, 35, was found dead from dehydration, while their son who was nearly a year old was found malnourished and unresponsive.

George Bariames was sitting on the couch watching television.

Investigators believed the woman had been dead several days.

Bariames said he and his wife had decided to stop using prescription drugs that month which he been taking for chronic pain and sleep deprivation.

He suffered from drug-induced intoxication withdrawal, according to court documents.