A Charles City woman, accused of violently abusing a child earlier this year, will avoid trial after agreeing to a plea deal.
Criminal complaints filed by Charles City Police alleged that 37-year-old Samantha Slaughter physically assaulted a child on February 13th in the 300 block of 8th Avenue. She allegedly forcefully grabbed the child’s face, force-fed them food, shook and jerked their face and head, hit them in the face with their own hands, forced them to the floor by the neck, and slammed the child to the floor.
Due to injuries suffered, medical staff told CCPD the child’s long-term prognosis will likely include varying deficits, some possibly permanent
Slaughter was scheduled for trial next week (May 19) in Floyd County District Court for child endangerment by multiple acts, a Class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison, plus willful injury causing serious injury, a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Monday (05.12), Slaughter agreed to a plea guilty to willful injury causing serious injury, with the child endangerment by multiple acts reduced to child endangerment resulting in serious injury, a Class C felony.
She is now scheduled for sentencing June 23rd.
Slaughter, also known as Samantha Jones, still faces additional legal troubles in Winneshiek County, where was convicted in March for child endangerment and assault with bodily injury or mental illness, for which she received a suspended sentence and placed on two-years probation. However, after her arrest in Floyd County, a probation revocation motion has been filed in Winneshiek County and a warrant issued for her arrest.
In the Winneshiek County case, prosecutors say Slaughter assaulted a child under the age of 14 between February and April 2024.
