Burnsville Woman Accused of Rubbing Peppers in Child's Face

A Burnsville woman has been charged with malicious punishment of a child after police say she rubbed habanero peppers on the victim’s face and in his eyes.

Jenneh Belloh Wreh, 30, faces a gross misdemeanor charge of malicious punishment of a child, which carries a maximum penalty of a year in jail and a $3,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint, the victim called police on June 2 and told them that Wreh had put peppers in his eyes.

The child reported that Wreh had become upset with him, approached him and rubbed peppers in his face. When he struggled, they ended up on the ground with Wreh on top of him, continuing to rub peppers on his face.

The child told police that he suffered painful burning after Wreh rubbed the peppers on him. He showed police the peppers that he said Wreh used, which were golf ball-sized habanero peppers.

Wreh admitted to police that she put the habanero peppers in the victim’s eyes, according to the complaint.

Habanero peppers are rated between 100,000 and 350,000 on the Scoville scale, which measures the heat of a pepper. By comparison, jalapeño peppers measure between 3,500 and 8,000 on the Scoville scale. 

Wreh is scheduled to make a first appearance on the charge Oct. 31 in Dakota County District Court in Hastings.