Woman to go on trial in 'Cinderella' -like child abuse case
CHAMBERSBURG - A Waynesboro woman accused of repeatedly beating a girl when she did not complete housework to her satisfaction is to go on trial this week.
Katherine Anne Graham, 33, is charged with felony endangering the welfare of a child and misdemeanor simple assault, according to online court documents.
A one-day trial is scheduled before Judge Angela Krom in courtroom four in Franklin County Courthouse, according to the court's weekly schedule.
Dad was present as daughter was spanked
The investigation into Graham's alleged abuse of the then-11-year-old girl at a home on North Church Street in Waynesboro began a little over a year ago. She was arrested on Oct. 11, 2017, court records show.
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The girl told investigators about multiple scenarios in which Graham would spank her backside with her hand, a wooden spoon, a belt and other items, according to court documents.
One of the alleged beatings happened because Graham thought the girl was lying about having medical conditions that caused her to have trouble walking, the girl told authorities. The girl said Graham spanked her on her bare bottom.
A few days later, Graham again spanked the girl's bare bottom, this time with a wooden spoon, 10 times after she didn't finish washing windows in the 30 minutes she was allotted, according to court documents. The girl said Graham then gave her five more minutes to wash the windows, and when she didn't finish Graham spanked her 10 more times.
The girl's father was present when these spankings happened.
A day after the incident with the windows, Graham spanked the girl with a belt after she didn't wash walls and clear a car to her satisfaction, telling her to do it right, according to court documents.
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A few days after that, Graham spanked her with a belt again, this time with her clothes on.
The final reported incident came when the girl didn't have time to blow dry her hair before school, and Graham allegedly spanked her with a spatula, according to court documents.
The girl said her bottom was burning when Graham spanked her with the various items, and she felt "shaky and scared" when it happened, according to court documents.
Mental distress and gross degradation
An investigator reported seeing photos of the injuries to the girl, including red, swollen raised welts combined with black, blue, purple and yellow bruising on her bottom and hips, according to court documents. The injures are consistent with being hit with the various items the girl mentioned.
A doctor from Hershey Medical Center reviewed the photos and told investigators the injuries were consistent with child abuse.
An investigator said the force Graham used was excessive and "not for the purpose of safeguarding or promoting the welfare of a child" and caused "extreme pain, mental distress and gross degradation," to the child.
Graham has been free on $50,000 bond since Oct. 27, 2017, court records show.
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