A 59-year-old Iowa Falls woman originally charged with one count of child endangerment has entered a guilty plea to a different charge.
The state alleges that Penny Caruth, who has been a daycare provider, struck a child multiple times with a paddle.
According to the criminal complaint, the child was struck 5 times, and cried out in pain after each hit.
Her jury trial was scheduled to begin today, but she entered a guilty plea to a charge of assault causing bodily injury or mental illness, a serious misdemeanor.
A sentencing date has not been set. Caruth faces up to 1-year in jail.
