Richfield Woman Charged After Allegedly Striking a Child With Extension Cord

A Richfield woman has been charged with hitting a 13-year-old child with an extension cord.

Jessica Vonshel Thompson, 33, is charged with malicious punishment of a child, a gross misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of a year in jail and a $3,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint, compiled by Detective Joseph Ogren, police were called to Thompson’s home on Feb. 28 on a report of a child being hit. Police spoke to the child, who reportedly told them that Thompson had struck him about 20 times with an extension cord, according to Ogren’s account.

Thompson reportedly became upset with the child because of his interactions on Facebook. According to the complaint, she told him to remove his clothes, then went to the hall closet and retrieved an extension cord, which she used to strike him repeatedly.

Thompson is free on her promise to make all court appearances and have no contact with the victim. An omnibus hearing in her case is scheduled for April 4, 2012 in Hennepin County District Court.