Carpentersville woman pleads not guilty to sex charges

A 47-year-old Carpentersville woman pleaded not guilty Friday to charges she sexually assaulted a girl younger than 12.

Dorothy A. Hamilton, of the 5600 block of Heartland Court, was arraigned in front of Kane County Circuit Judge Timothy Q. Sheldon on one count of predatory criminal sexual assault and three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child.

According to court records, Hamilton is accused of abusing a girl in her care "for the purpose of sexual gratification or arousal" between March 1, 2007, and Aug. 31, 2009. Her attorney did not respond to a request for comment.

If convicted, Hamilton could be sentenced to up to 60 years in prison, an extended sentence because of the victim's age, Prosecutor Lori Schmidt said in court Friday.

Hamilton, who is free on a $20,000 bond, was arrested in October after the allegations came to light. A grand jury indicted her on Jan. 27, Sheldon said.

Hamilton appears to have no prior criminal history in Kane County, other than a lone traffic offense in 2008, according to court records. She returns to court March 26.