Muskego woman punched toddler in front of officer: complaint

NEW BERLIN, Wis. - Waukesha County prosecutors say a 20-year-old Muskego woman got drunk and punched a toddler in front of a police officer. The accused, Alyanya Felts, faces the following criminal counts: 

• Physical abuse of child-intentionally cause bodily harm
• Neglecting a child-consequence is bodily harm
• Misdemeanor bail jumping

According to the criminal complaint, New Berlin police were patrolling S. Racine Avenue on Wednesday evening, March 6 when an officer spotted a car at the Racine Avenue park and ride. The officer noted there were no occupants in the front seats of the car, but "he noticed a small child peaking (his) head out from the rear passenger side window," the complaint says.

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The officer remained in the area and watched as the car pulled out of the park-and-ride. The officer again noted that "this small child (later identified as an 18-month-old) was in the back unrestrained, partially hanging out of the window," the complaint says.

The New Berlin officer made a traffic stop on the vehicle. When the officer asked the male driver why he drove through a red traffic light, the driver indicated "because the back seat female passenger, Alyanya Felts, was intoxicated" and he was trying to get her home.

The complaint says the officer noted the defendant "had bloodshot and glassy eyes, had extreme slurred speech, and was unable to sit up right." Felts also could not provide her birthday or formulate complete sentences, the complaint says. At that point, the officer felt it necessary to call Health and Human Services.

Another New Berlin officer who responded to the scene noted the driver of the car that was pulled over had eyes that were "bloodshot and droopy and glassy," the complaint says. The officer noticed "there were open intoxicants all over the vehicle." When the second officer turned his attention from the driver to the defendant in the back seat, he witnessed Felts "punch (with a fist) this 18-month-old child in the face. (The officer noted in his report that (the child) immediately 'became hysterical, crying and tears were coming down his cheeks,'" the complaint says. The officer indicated the child had a "red welt and mark" on the right side of his face.

Felts made her initial appearance in Waukesha County court on Friday afternoon, March 8. A court commissioner set cash bond at $2,500. She is also ordered to have no contact with the child or drink any alcohol.

FOX6 News asked prosecutors if the driver in this incident would also be charged. As of right now, he has not been.