A Leesburg woman is facing a charge of endangering children after allegedly having a 5-year-old bathe in water containing feces.

An affidavit filed with the Hillsboro Municipal Court stated that Highland County Children Services received pictures of the juvenile “sitting in a bath tub full of water with feces floating in it,” on Sept. 9.

The affidavit added that the child was “crying … and appear(ed) to be very upset.”

On Sept. 10, a detective with the Highland County Sheriff’s Office spoke with Melanie Hammon, 48, at her residence, according to the affidavit. She and her husband were granted legal custody of the juvenile last December, the affidavit added.

The detective reported that Hammon said she took the pictures in March and sent them to a relative.

She reportedly told the detective that “she made (the juvenile) get in the bath tub of water because he pooped his pants (a half) hour before the school bus came and she was upset with him,” as stated in the affidavit.

The affidavit added that Hammon reportedly asked the detective, “‘What was I suppose(d) to do(?) Let him go to school and poop his pants so the kids could make fun of him?”

According to the affidavit, Hammon allegedly got the child in the tub, used her cell phone to take the pictures, and then told the child they were being sent to a relative “as a form of punishment for him pooping his pants.”

The child reportedly told a Children Services caseworker that Hammon had “made him wash his hair” in that bathwater, the affidavit stated.

Hammon was charged with first-degree misdemeanor endangering children.

Court records showed that a warrant was issued for Hammon’s arrest on Monday. The judge “ordered a $10,000 cash or surety bond instead of (the) standard bond,” records stated.

According to the court, that bond was set due to special circumstances. No further details were provided.

On Tuesday, that warrant was recalled and the bond was posted, records added.

Hammon appeared for an arraignment Wednesday. Her bond was set at her own recognizance (OR). A pretrial is scheduled for Oct. 23.

While her case is pending, Hammon is ordered to have no contact with the juvenile. She must also observe a curfew.

Reach Sarah Allen at 937-393-3456, ext. 1680, or on Twitter @SarahAllenHTG.