Mom Faces Felony Charges After Using Belt on Kids, Police Say

A Port Washington mom faces 30 years in prison and $100,000 in fines after being charged with hitting her two children with a belt.

The 38-year-old woman was charged in Ozaukee County court on Tuesday with two counts of physical abuse of a child recklessly causing great bodily harm. The woman is not being named to protect the children's identities.

The 12-year-old boy told police that about 6:30 a.m. Monday his mother used a leather belt and hit his forearm, leaving a mark that measured 6 to 8 inches in length that caused him "pain," according to the criminal complaint.

The daughter, who turned 14 the day after the incident, told police she tried to intervene while her mom was hitting her brother, the complaint said. Her mother then grabbed her by the hair and puller her out of the house using "very bad words," toward the girl. The mother drove her to Upper Lake Park where she struck the daughter with the belt, also on her forearm.

The woman shows no prior criminal record in CCAP. She is out of custody on a $1,000 signature bond and is expected to appear in court at 10 a.m. Feb. 12 for status hearing.