Woman denies assault on child

NORTH BENNINGTON — A woman who is staying at the Bennington Coalition for the Homeless’ shelter at 6 Bank St. was charged with two misdemeanors on Tuesday after police said they believed she had assaulted an 18-month-old child.

Adrienne Bowen, 22, pleaded innocent in Bennington criminal court to misdemeanor charges of domestic assault and cruelty to a child younger than 10.

In an affidavit, Detective Anthony Silvestro, of the Bennington Police Department, said he had begun to investigate Bowen because of a report made to the Vermont Department of Children and Families by an unnamed employee of the shelter.

On Monday, Silvestro and an investigator with the Department of Children and Families met with a person living in the shelter who was also not named in the affidavit. The resident claimed Bowen had picked up a child, who was born in August 2011, by the hand.

The resident said the child was held high enough to be “swinging in the air” and said Bowen twisted the child’s arm and dropped her on the floor where she hit her head. The resident said Bowen kicked the child’s foot before walking away.

On other occasions, the resident told investigators, Bowen dragged the child up some stairs by her arm.

Silvestro said Bowen told him that she gets stressed out very easily. She denied dropping and kicking the child but admitted to picking the child up by her arm.

She also told investigators she didn’t want to have the child taken away from her.

Bowen was released without bail but ordered to observe a curfew and obey a “safety plan” created by the Department of Children and Families. She was also ordered not to use corporal punishment on the child.

Bowen also has a pending case from September with a felony count of forgery and a misdemeanor charge of retail theft.