Woman seen on videotape hitting daughter arrested

MISHAWAKA, Ind. -- A mother turned herself in to police Saturday to face a child battery charge, eight days after a nationally televised videotape depicted her shaking, slapping and punching her 4-year-old daughter in a store parking lot.

Madelyne Gorman Toogood, 26, and her lawyer met police at an undisclosed location and arrived at the police station late Saturday afternoon, Lt. Jeff Giannuzzi said.

The girl showed no visible signs of injuries, but Child Protective Services will temporarily place her with another family that is not related, prosecutor Chris Toth said Saturday. He said she was being examined at a hospital.

"She's safe. We just have to, at this point, make sure there are not any deeper physical injuries," Toth said. "She's a sweet, wonderful girl. Physically she looks fine."

An arrest warrant issued Friday charged Toogood with battery to a child, which carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison. Earlier a judge set her bond at $5,000, although prosecutors had requested a $50,000 bond because of her transient history, Toth said.

Toogood, who investigators said cooperated during a one-hour interview, was transferred to the county jail for booking, Toth said. She posted bond and was released Saturday night.

Police had been searching for Toogood and her daughter since the Sept. 13 incident, caught on video by a surveillance camera outside a Kohl's department store in northern Indiana.

Authorities said the mother had left the store angry because she was refused a cash refund for goods.