Suspended sentence for Clear Lake woman accused of child endangerment at child care

CLEAR LAKE — It’s a suspended prison sentence and probation for a Clear Lake woman who entered an Alford plea to a child endangerment charge.

A criminal complaint says a three-year-old boy left in the care of 59-year-old Peggy McLaughlin and her late husband Kyle McLaughlin went home in December 2016 with a welt and bruise on his lower back. He told his mother that Kyle McLaughlin had spanked him. The complaint says Peggy McLaughlin later told the mother that her husband had “swatted” the boy and another child and said it wouldn’t happen again. 

Another criminal complaint says a 20-month-old girl suffered a fractured leg at the home in August 2017 and the McLaughlins didn’t seek medical assistance for her. 

Peggy McLaughlin was charged with one count of child endangerment. She filed an Alford plea in Cerro Gordo County District Court earlier this month. With an Alford plea, a person does not admit guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence for a likely conviction.

Judge Adam Sauer recently sentenced McLaughlin to a two-year prison sentence, which was suspended, and placed her on two years probation. 

Kyle McLaughlin had been charged with two counts of child endangerment. He died on May 7th of last year.