A Baxter woman accused of causing second-degree burns to a young child in her care has pleaded guilty to a class D felony. On Monday, District Court Judge Stacy Ritchie accepted 28-year-old Samantha Jo Everhard’s guilty plea to child endangerment causing injury. She was originally charged with neglect or abandonment of a dependent person, which is a class C felony. 

According to the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department, Ritchie ran bath water for the child on May 16th of last year, and then left that immediate area of the home. The temperature of the water caused burns on just under 10% of the child’s body. Everhard’s sentencing is set for March 23rd. Until then, the Baxter woman is free on a $10,000 bond.