By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – A 27-year-old Maylene woman is set to stand trial on an aggravated child abuse charge in early September, according to scheduling documents recently filed in Shelby County Circuit Court.

Sherrie Cherie Vernon, who lists an address on Shelby County 270 in the Alabaster portion of Maylene, was arrested in January 2016 and charged with one felony count of aggravated child abuse. Her arrest came after a Shelby County grand jury issued a one-count indictment against her after reviewing evidence in the case.

Vernon was released from the Shelby County Jail after posting a $20,000 bond shortly after she was arrested.

Aggravated child abuse is a Class B felony, and is punishable by up to 20 years in prison upon conviction.

Vernon’s charges came after she allegedly did “torture, willfully abuse, cruelly beat or otherwise willfully maltreat” a victim under the age of 18 by “handling said child in such a manner which caused” damage to the child’s genital area, according to her indictment.

The alleged offense happened on Nov. 3, 2015, according to the indictment.

Vernon is set to stand trial on the charge beginning on Sept. 10 in front of Circuit Court Judge William Bostick. She was set to appear in court for a pre-trial status call on July 30, and will appear in court on Aug. 28 for a plea date, according to scheduling documents.