A Palmerton woman has been charged with repeatedly striking her child and administering Benadryl to cause him to sleep.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Detective Kevin Buck of the Palmerton Borough Police Department in the case against Cynthia Rodriguez:

At around 9 a.m. Aug. 6, Buck was contacted by a Carbon County case worker who said that she had received a ChildLine report regarding a female identified as Rodriguez, 40, who had been striking her foster child and administering Benadryl to the child in order to cause him to sleep.

The case worker further said that she had video evidence to support this and would be bringing it to the Palmerton Police Department for Buck to view.

Upon viewing the video that is time stamped from Aug. 4, it shows that the child is awake, standing in this crib, when Rodriguez enters the room and retrieves what appears to be Benadryl liquid and administering two full doses to the child.

A short time later the child begins crying and the video shows for the next roughly six minutes Rodriguez repeatedly holding the child’s hands with one hand while covering his mouth with the other and repeatedly stating “stop your crying” and “you’re (going to) learn.”

The video also shows Rodriguez repeatedly striking the child on the lower portion of his body as well as in the facial area the entire time the child is struggling and crying and releasing muffled screams from underneath the hand of Rodriguez.

Buck made contact with Rodriguez on Aug. 6 as she arrived at the police department, at which time she was provided with her Miranda warnings, which she signed and waived, agreeing to speak with Buck.

Rodriguez was asked about the incident, and she said that when the child woke up she was still tired and frustrated.

She said that she knew she had done wrong.

Buck then played a portion of the video for her, and during that time she acknowledged that she repeatedly had her hand over the child’s mouth and had struck him.

Rodriguez was asked to provide a written statement, but she declined.

Rodriguez faces charges of aggravated assault; endangering welfare of child; simple assault; recklessly endangering another person; and harassment by physical contact.

She is free in lieu of $7,500 unsecured bail, and scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Aug. 26 before District Judge William Kissner of Palmerton.