WINFIELD – A Winfield woman who adopted a dozen children and fostered more than 200 spent Sunday night in a Lincoln County jail amidst abuse and trafficking allegations.

Brenda Deutsch, 70, faces felony charges of neglect, child abuse and child endangerment following the investigation into an alleged missing child.

According to a probable cause statement, a Lincoln County school resource officer received information the 16-year-old victim missed several days of school.

“The school reported the Victim was in the state of Texas,” the probable cause statement reads. “While investigating the information provided by the school (the sheriff’s deputy) was told of a rumor the Victim was traded for an exotic animal to Witness One in the state of Texas.”

Texas officials contacted the victim two days later and placed her in protective custody Feb. 21.

“Witness One” told authorities she agreed to only temporarily take custody of the victim as she hadn’t been getting along with Deutsch. However, she indicated Deutsch refused to take the victim back.

When interviewed by law enforcement, the victim detailed numerous instances of physical abuse at the hands of Deutsch. She stated Deutsch hit her with a paddle, wood trim, shoes and a “monkey bottle.” The victim also recounted instances where a family member pinned her to the ground while Deutsch struck her bare buttocks with a paddle.

She also alleged Deutsch would lie to doctors about the victim’s behavior.

“…the Suspect would lie to medical professionals so she (Victim) would be admitted into facilities for things like harming herself,” Lincoln County Sheriff’s Detective Erin Doherty wrote in the probable cause statement. “The victim stated she would not be doing the things the suspect said she was.”

After reporting the abuse, the victim suffered more physical punishment.

“The victim disclosed a time when she told a friend at church about being abusd by the Suspect,” Doherty said. “According to the Victim, the Suspect was upset she told someone she was abused. The Victim said she told the Suspect if she doesn’t want her telling people about abuse, not to do it. The Victim stated the Suspect told her we was going to regret telling … (and) the Suspect grabbed a piece of wooden trim and started hitting her (Victim) with it.”

With a cash-only bond of $250,000, Deutsch remains in custody in the Lincoln County jail. She makes an initial appearance before Associate Court Judge Michael Jacobs Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. in Lincoln County.

The three charges are all Class D felonies and include a prison sentence of one to seven years on each count.