Child punishment case ended with assault misdemeanor conviction

Published 11:01 am Friday, October 19, 2012

Gross misdemeanor charges against a 20-year-old Austin woman for punishing a child were dismissed Thursday in Mower County Court.

Instead, DeeDee Mounkghounh was convicted of misdemeanor domestic assault. The dropped charges were for malicious punishment of a child and contributing to the need for child protective services. Mounkghounh must complete a year of supervised probation and pay a $300 fine.

According to the court complaint, police went to the 1300 block of Fourth Street SE after someone heard screaming and yelling and what sounded like spanking or slapping on April 18. When officers arrived they could hear crying after Mounkghounh opened the door. Officers found the 9-year-old victim lying in a room in the fetal position.

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According to the complaint, Mounkghounh admitted to hitting the child and taking her to her room because she was throwing a tantrum and would not sleep. However, the victim allegedly said Mounkghounh would not let her call her mother, who lives in Iowa.

Mounkghounh reportedly took the victim into the bathroom, placed her in the tub with her clothes on and ran cold and then hot water over her, the victim claimed. The victim added Mounkghounh then hit her in the leg, arm and back while the she lay in the tub.