A Hopewell woman is charged with aggravated assault after she allegedly ordered three minors in her care to beat a fourth minor relative with a belt while she watched.

Penny Lynne Garlock, 62, was arraigned Wednesday by Magisterial District Judge Brian K. Baker on one felony count of endangering the welfare of children, two counts of aggravated assault, two misdemeanor counts of simple assault, one count of terroristic threats as well as summary harassment. She remains free on $50,000 unsecured bail.

Bedford State Police were dispatched to a residence along the 900 block of New Street in Hopewell, Bedford County on Oct. 19 for a report of a missing 9-year-old juvenile. Police located the child, who told police she was hiding because she was being beaten with a belt by her 12-year-old juvenile relative and her two juvenile friends, ages 9 and 10. The victim said Garlock also hit her with a barbecue spatula, which left scabs on her head, according to the probable cause affidavit.

On October 20, officers showed up at UPMC Bedford to meet with the victim and her mother. Officers observed the victim’s injuries, which included multiple red and purple bruises along the backs of his legs, back, lower back and one shoulder. The victim said the red bumps were caused by being hit with a belt, court documents state.

On Oct. 30, the victim was interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center, where she said Garlock told her 12-year-old relative and two of his friends to beat her with a belt. The victim said this happened in Garlock’s room while Garlock was watching on the bed and that Garlock actually helped hold her on the bed. The victim told attorneys that her usual punishment was to hold a coin to the wall with her nose, police records show.

On Nov. 7, officers interviewed the 10-year-old witness, who said he was at Garlock’s residence to play video games with the victim’s 12-year-old relative. The witness said they were called to Garlock’s room, where he gave the 12-year-old a belt to begin hitting the victim, records show.

The witness said he and the 9-year-old witness hit the victim with the belt because Garlock told them to and kept telling them to hit her. The 10-year-old witness told officers he wanted to leave the room but was told to stay. He said they saw Garlock hit the victim over the head with a metal frame, which he described as an oven rack, according to the affidavit.

Officers also interviewed the 9-year-old witness, who said they saw Garlock yelling at the victim when they entered Garlock’s room. The second witness’s statement corroborated that given by the first witness, with the second witness adding that they ended up holding the victim down on the bed, with Garlock’s help, to keep her still during the beating, court documents show .

Garlock is scheduled for a preliminary hearing before Baker on Nov. 27.