39-year-old faces battery charge

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GREENFIELD — A Greenfield woman threw a young girl left in her care through a glass coffee table when the girl became enraged because her iPad had been taken away, according to court documents.

Jennifer Holland, 39, pleaded not guilty Friday to a Level 5 felony charge of battery on a child in Hancock Circuit Court, records show.

The case was filed in mid January, after police were called to Holland’s Greenfield home because a child reported the woman struck her because she had not done her chores, court documents state.

The girl told police she’d been staying at Holland’s apartment in the 2200 block of North Franklin Street while her legal guardians were out of town. Holland and the girl got into an argument after Holland took an iPad away from the child to punish her, court documents state.

Holland told police the girl became angry and began tearing up items in the home after she got in trouble. She said the girl locked herself in a bedroom, but Holland popped the lock open with a butter knife, court documents state.

The girl said Holland grabbed her by the hair, dragged her down a hallway and kicked her in the chest and legs before throwing her through a glass coffee table, court documents state.

The girl told police she tried pounding on the floor with her hands trying to alert the downstairs neighbors she needed help.

She said Holland locked her outside for more than 10 minutes after the fight was over, court documents state.

Holland denied hurting the girl and told police the argument began after the girl started destroying the house after the iPad was taken away, court documents state. She said the girl locked herself outside, court documents state.

Injuries to the girl’s body were photographed for evidence, court documents state.

She had scratches on the arms and chest, her hair was disheveled, and she complained of pain in her legs, police noted.

Medics were called to scene, but the girl refused treatment, court documents state.

Holland was booked into the Hancock County Jail on Thursday, held for about two hours and then released, records show. She appeared in court Friday for an initial hearing.

The Level 5 felony charge Holland faces carries a sentencing range of one to six years and up to $10,000 in fines.