RAVENNA, Ohio - An Austintown woman awaits sentencing on several offenses after her daughter told school officials that her mom pulled her by her hair and placed her hands around her neck.

After entering a "no contest: plea" last week, a judge found 50-year-old Deanne Hartman guilty of one felony count of endangering children and two misdemeanor counts of OVI, according to Portage County court records.

According to a report from the sheriff’s office, the charge came from an investigation that began in May of 2023 after the Jackson Milton School resource officer reported claims from a student that her mother became angry at her and her sister as the two were sitting on a couch at home.

The girl told investigators that their mom smacked the phone from her hand, grabbed her hair, and pulled her over the back of the couch to the ground before allegedly placing her hands around the child’s neck.

A report says the girl had bruises and scratches on her face and neck.

This is not Hartman’s first encounter with the law.

In 2017, Austintown police found her young children living in squalid conditions, surrounded by trash and a dead rat, while Hartman appeared impaired inside the home.

Trumbull County Children Services Executive Director Marilyn Pape said decisions about reuniting children with parents are complex and vary case by case.

“The period of time that you’re going to be looking at for determining if the child is safe to go back is going to get longer with every repeat incident,” Pape said.

Mahoning County Juvenile Court Magistrate Gina DeGenova said courts must balance child safety with efforts to reunite families.

“Sometimes the parents have to get alcohol, drug, mental health assessment and counseling," she said, "but everything is geared toward getting the children back with their parents, and that is what the law requires us to do." 

Children may not always be living with a parent at the time an incident occurs, but Ohio law requires agencies to work toward reunification unless there’s an immediate and present danger of harm.

“Our clients kind of go through a roller coaster of problems sometimes, and our job is to try to help them maintain their kids in their care,” Pape added, “But if the risk is so high, then we can’t allow that.”

Hartman’s ex-husband, John Hartman told 21 News that this has been an ongoing challenge for years but said he now has full custody of the children.

Hartman could face up to 12 months in prison for the felony charge.

A date for her sentencing has not been scheduled yet.