Woman accused of repeatedly punching girl over wrong homework answers

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Gray News) – A Florida woman is facing charges after she allegedly punched a girl in the face multiple times for answering her homework incorrectly.

Margaret Gissome, 35, is accused of punching a child in the face for giving the wrong answers to her homework. She was booked Wednesday on a charge of aggravated child abuse, according to jail records.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Children and Families investigated the incident.

The victim, whose age has not been released, was doing her homework with her siblings in Gissome’s bedroom when the suspect got upset with her for answering incorrectly, according to an arrest report obtained by WPTV.

Gissome allegedly grabbed the girl by the collar and punched her in the face multiple times. The victim told investigators the suspect also shook her and hit her in the chest, WPEC reports.

The victim suffered a busted blood vessel in her left eye and a bruise on her lower lip. She reportedly told investigators that Gissome told her “not to worry about your lip because your nose will be next.”

It’s unclear what Gissome’s relationship is to the child, but WPTV reports the suspect works in “occupational care.”

Gissome was released Friday on a $2,500 bond. She was ordered to have no contact with the victim nor other minor children unless their parents are aware of the child abuse charge, according to WPTV.

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