ORLANDO, Fla. – Deputies arrested a 38-year-old Orange County woman after they said she made her daughter, who is a minor, kneel on raw rice and grits for five hours, causing severe cuts to the child's knees.
Investigators took Mequisha Olden to jail Saturday night, charging her with child abuse, after responding to a home her daughter went to to report the alleged abuse.
According to a witness, the child had marks "all over her back and shoulder area," as well. Deputies said those marks included a visible outline of a belt buckle in several places.
Deputies said the mom admitted to using a belt buckle to repeatedly beat the girl, in addition to forcing her to kneel on the rice. She said the "whooping" was in response to the child's bad behavior on the school bus.
The child also told deputies Olden yelled at her and punched her in the forehead as a part of the same beating.
Local 6 uncovered that Olden has been charged for child abuse before. According to court records, in 2000 she pleaded guilty to neglect in a case where she was also charged with aggravated child abuse and battery. She received probation and community service as a result of that case, but the probation has since expired.
A judge set Olden's bond at $3,500 Sunday.