Judge Stacy Louser set bond at $150,000 cash or corporate surety on Tuesday for Sarah Ann Babinchak, 34, who is accused of abusing children in her care at her daycare in Carpio last year.

Babinchak, who had operated Country Steps Daycare in Carpio until December, is charged with Class B felony child abuse, Class B felony aggravated assault on a 5-month-old baby, and Class C felony child neglect. She allegedly “threw babies on the floor” and fractured a 5-month-old boy’s skull in December 2019. Other children who had been in her care had bruises or scratches on them, according to an affidavit filed with the court, and she had force fed some of the children or neglected to offer them a snack. She allegedly had screamed and cursed at the children and called them names. According to the affidavit, her daycare business had numerous license violations.

In court on Tuesday, Babinchak’s lawyer, Ashley Flagstad, told the judge that Babinchak has no criminal record and wants to clear her name. Flagstad asked Judge Louser to grant her client an unsecured appearance bond. Flagstad said the allegations were made after the baby had a seizure and Babinchak called 911. Flagstad also told the judge that the baby had not been in Babinchak’s care for the two weeks prior to the seizure because he had been sick. Flagstad said the baby had been in the care of other adults during that time frame. Flagstad also questioned why it took the state so long to file the charges against Babinchak when it has been under investigation since December 2019.

Ward County Assistant State’s Attorney Christopher Nelson told Louser that prosecutors wanted to make sure there was no other reason for the baby’s injuries and be sure of the facts before the charges were filed. The case took time to investigate, he said. Nelson asked the judge to set bond at $200,000 cash or corporate surety.

Judge Louser set bond at $150,000 cash or corporate surety, citing the safety of the community. She also ordered Babinchak to have no contact with any of the victims and not to have contact with children under the age of 18 other than her own children.

A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for Aug. 6.