Charles City woman accused of violent child abuse pleads guilty

CHARLES CITY — A Charles City woman accused of violently abusing a child has pleaded guilty in the case.

A criminal complaint stated that 37-year-old Samantha Slaughter physically assaulted a child on February 13th in a home in the 300 block of 8th Avenue. Slaughter is accused of forcefully grabbing their face, force feeding them food, shaking and jerking their face and head, hitting them in their face with their own hands, forcing them to the floor by grabbing their neck, and slamming them to the floor.

The complaint says the minor sustained serious injuries to include facial bruising and swelling, retinal hemorrhages, as well as bleeding in the head and brain. Medical staff told law enforcement that the child’s long-term prognosis will likely include varying deficits, some of which appear to be permanent.

Slaughter was charged with child endangerment by multiple acts, a Class B felony. As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, she has pleaded guilty to willful injury resulting in serious injury, a Class C forcible felony. Prosecutors will recommend ten years in prison when she’s sentenced on June 23rd.