Woman accused of hitting child for bad grades
A Costa Mesa woman accused last week of hitting her daughter and locking her in a closet because she earned bad grades is due back in court next month, according to court records.
The 32-year-old woman is charged with one misdemeanor count of child abuse, Costa Mesa police said.
The Daily Pilot has decided not to name the mother to protect the identity of her daughter, a minor.
Authorities alleged that on Oct. 29 the mother hit her 13-year-old daughter three times with a stick and then locked her in a closet for six hours as punishment for “bad” grades, said Costa Mesa Police Sgt. Phil Myers.
He did not know the grades the girl earned.
A concerned party called police after the incident, he said.
Police arrested the woman within a couple of hours of the report. She was in custody at Orange County Jail until early Monday morning, when she posted bail and was released, according to Orange County Sheriff’s Department records.
The girl is now in the Orangewood Children & Family Center’s care, Myers said.
The defendant pleaded not guilty Nov. 1, and was back in court again Tuesday. She is next scheduled to appear Dec. 29. She remains free on bail.
Twitter: @JosephSerna