The trial of a 26-year-old Prairie City woman charged with child endangerment in the 2013 dog-mauling death of 4-year-old Jordyn Arndt is moving forward after court proceedings were proposed last month due to the injury of the defense’s canine expert witness.
Jena M. Wright will face trial by jury beginning May 6 in Jasper County District Court following an April 27 pretrial conference, according to online court documents.
Wright is accused of leaving Arndt unattended with an American Staffordshire terrier at 300 S. Marshall St. in Prairie City, April 22, 2013. According to the initial police report, Wright was babysitting the 4-year-old girl at the time of the animal attack, which caused injuries ultimately resulting in the child’s death.
The defendant could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted of child endangerment resulting in death, a Class B felony, and up to 10 years for a conviction of neglect or abandonment, a Class C felony.
The case has been in the court system for nearly two years, plagued by multiple delays.
Contact Mike Mendenhall at mmendenhall@myprairiecitynews.com