Woman faces child abuse trial

The Cole County Grand Jury has indicted a Jefferson City woman on one count of child abuse.

Jacklyn Johnson, 26, of 908 E. Elm St., is charged with striking her 7-year-old in the face in January with cables from an audio/video device.

The indictment indicates the jury found there was enough evidence to send the case onto the circuit court for possible trial.

The girl came to school a few days later with whelping and bruising on her face and told school staff her mother "whooped her with an extension cord" because she had told her mother she had a boyfriend.

When questioned by authorities, Johnson admitted to striking her daughter in the buttocks with a belt, but initially denied hitting her in the face.

When confronted with the story her daughter had told, Johnson admitted to "losing control" and striking the child with cables. She also confirmed she did this because the daughter told her about a possible boyfriend.

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