Mom who beat daughter for not correctly saying Bible verses sent to state prison

A Middletown mother will spend 21/2 to 5 years in state prison for assaulting her daughter because the teen didn't recite Bible verses correctly.

Rhonda Shoffner, 41, was sentenced by Dauphin County Judge John F. Cherry after she pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault, strangulation, child endangerment and making terroristic threats.

"This was an extremely scary situation for this young victim to have to endure. Fortunately, she is doing well now and is in a safe place," Chief Deputy District Attorney Sean McCormack said Thursday.

Police said Shoffner attacked the 13-year-old in March. She bit the girl and slammed the teen's head into a bathroom wall, they said. Investigators said Shoffner told the girl, "I'm going to kill you."

Shoffner was intoxicated during the assault, police said. Cherry ordered her to undergo substance abuse counseling and required her to serve 5 years on probation once she completes her prison term.

McCormack said Shoffner's guilty pleas also encompassed a January incident where she hit and bit a woman during an argument in a car.

RancidLemons on October 27th, 2017 at 12:26 UTC »

Shoffner asked her daughter, "What did God tell the man to do with his son?"

When the girl said she did not know, her mother said, "God told the man to kill his son."

Instead, the victim said, "God said to forgive his son," and Shoffner grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head into the wall, police said.

Each time the girl incorrectly recited a verse or gave her mother a wrong answer, Shoffner slammed her head into the wall, police said. Shoffner slammed her daughter's head into the bathroom drywall at least five times, according to police.

The victim tried to use her hands to defend herself, but Shoffner's kicks connected at least two times, police said. The girl repeatedly begged her mother to stop, but after her mother told her to lie on her back, she complied, police said.

That's when Shoffner said, "I'm gonna kill you (expletive deleted)," police said, and she started to strangle her daughter and cut off her airway.

The girl feared for her life and tried to fight Shoffner off, according to police. Shoffner bit the girl's left forearm and then dug her teeth into her left shoulder, police said.

The victim continued to fight her mother off until Shoffner said, "just leave and don't ever come back."

This fucking sociopath should be locked up for attempted murder.

xxStitchxx on October 27th, 2017 at 11:52 UTC »

Good thing she was sent to prison. I hope the kid has some good support. It's going to be hard on her for awhile, and more than likely, blame herself. I hope she doesn't fall through the cracks of the system.

atleast6people on October 27th, 2017 at 10:06 UTC »

Sad fact: My town has a local Facebook group where you can share and post whatever you want. It usually turns into political debates and stupid people sharing stupid opinions no one asked for. Someone lady shared this and said "it's her god given right as a parent to beat her daughter when ever she wants. And she knows god is on her side with this statement and god would be proud of her for beating her daughter." It was the only time in history I have seen every member of the group band together and tell a person to fuck off.