A Sallisaw woman accused of abusing a child who was in her care at her daycare pleaded not guilty to a felony count of injury to a minor child at her district court arraignment Thursday.

If convicted, Barbara Lynn Woody, 55, could receive a penalty of up to life in prison, or up to one year in county jail and a $500 to $5,000 fine, court records state. Woody waived her right to a preliminary hearing in March.

Woody's case will be set on the next available jury docket, which could be the fall or later, the prosecution's office said.

According to court records, Woody was charged in Sequoyah County District Court on Dec. 5 after allegedly admitting to police that she put a wash cloth in a five-month-old baby's mouth, and then placed her hand over his mouth to quiet him.

The child's mother, Tonya Smith, took the baby to the emergency room at Sequoyah Memorial Hospital in Sallisaw after the child had redness on the left side of his jaw, temple, eye, and head. Smith told hospital employees that when the baby's grandparents picked up the child from the daycare, Woody told them that her two-and-a half-year-old deaf grandson had hit the baby in the face with a small car two times before she could stop him.

A hospital nurse said the redness was not consistent with the markings of a toy, according to court records.

Woody is out of the Sallisaw City Jail on a $10,000 bond.

While the investigation and case continues, Woody's daycare was closed at the request of the State Department of Human Services.