RIVERTON — A Riverton mother is facing criminal charges accusing her of pinching her daughter to the point that it caused bruising, and putting a blanket over the girl's head to muffle her cries.
Gina Dee Schauerhamer, 27, was charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with aggravated child abuse, a first-degree felony, and assault, a class B misdemeanor.
In May, Schauerhamer allegedly pinched her 3-year-old daughter's arm hard enough to cause a 6-inch bruise, according to charging documents.
"(The girl) also said that Schauerhamer put a 'blankie' on her face, on her mouth, and 'when her mom did that, it was not OK,'" the charges state.
Her husband described hearing "quiet cries" from the girl and said that Schauerhamer "admitted to him that 'covering (the girl's) mouth with her hand was too aggressive, so she used a blanket to cover her mouth,'" according to the charges.
Doctors examining the girl found "abrasions to her right neck and right forearm as well as bruises to her left cheek, left upper arm, left flank, upper inner right thigh, and on her shins bilaterally. It was noted that while some of (her) injuries are nonspecific and can be consistent with accidental or benign events," the bruising on her cheek, arm and leg "raises concern for inappropriate handling and inflicted injury."
The husband said the arm pinching and blanket muffling happened during separate incidents.
"(He) reported that the victim will cower and run away from (Schauerhamer) and recalled an incident where she was in his lap, 'shaking with terror' telling (him) that 'the monster is going to get me,' referring to (Schauerhamer)," according to charging documents.
