Marengo woman charged with hitting foster child

A McHenry County woman is facing a felony battery charge alleging she struck her 11-year-old foster daughter last week, leaving the child with a black eye.

Carolyn D. Taylor, 47, of Marengo, was arrested Tuesday on charges of aggravated battery to a child and domestic battery stemming from the incident Saturday. The girl suffers from a mild case of cerebral palsy as well as bipolar disorder, officials said.

Taylor was released from custody Wednesday morning after posting a $1,500 cash bond and is scheduled to appear in court May 10.

McHenry County Sheriff's police arrested Taylor after a joint investigation into the allegations with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services,

"According to the mother, the girl got out of control and, she said, she slapped (the 11-year-old)," sheriff's Sgt. Michael Cisner said. "But the girl does have a black eye and bruising around her ear."

The girl is now in the care of a foster father, Cisner said. The investigation, he added, found no evidence of prior violence between Taylor and the girl or any other children in the home.

"It appears to be an isolated incident," Cisner said.

The aggravated battery to a child charge is a Class 3 felony, punishable by probation or a maximum term of two to five years in prison. Domestic battery is a Class A misdemeanor that carries a sentence of up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.