MENOMONIE -- A 25-year-old Glenwood City woman has been charged in Dunn County Cout with felony physical abuse of a child for reportedly spanking an 18-month-old Boyceville child 44 times during a six-minute span when the child wouldn't stop crying.
Heather L. Flowers was baby-sitting the child Feb. 13 when the spanking occurred, authorities say. If convicted, she could face up to 3 1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Flowers is out of custody on a $5,000 signature bond. She has waived her preliminary hearing and is scheduled for a final pre-trial hearing June 12.
According to the criminal complaint:
Boyceville police Chief Dan Wellumson was contacted by the boy's mother, who said she saw a change in her son's attitude toward Flowers. The mother hid a voice recorder in the house before she left for work Feb. 13.
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After five hours of recording, the mother heard Flowers call the boy and heard the boy crying. Flowers yelled at the boy to stop crying and started spanking him.
The boy had a bruise on his left thigh. Flowers also may have bitten the boy in retaliation for the boy biting another child.
Flowers told authorities she was overwhelmed by the situation.
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