A Sparta special education teacher is pleading not guilty to charges from allegations of striking a five-year-old student.
Melanie Hinz initially returned to work following an internal investigation but was placed on leave pending the criminal investigation from October. She’s facing multiple charges including one felony count of child abuse. Hinz remains free with conditions of not contacting the victim, the child’s family and their residence. If she’s convicted, she’ll face up to over three-years in prison and a ten-thousand-dollar fine.
