(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
BRISTOL, Wis. — A 53-year-old Bristol woman is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly striking her 14-year-old daughter in the head with a cellphone during a late-night house party, leaving the girl bleeding and unconscious in the front yard.
Joanna L. Malmstrom appeared in court Friday, where Court Commissioner William Michel II set her bail at $10,000 cash. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 5.
Malmstrom is charged with substantial battery, physical abuse of a child, disorderly conduct, and three counts of felony bail jumping, all as a repeat offender. Prosecutors say Malmstrom was already out on bond for a separate child abuse case and is on probation for a 2022 felony drug conviction.
(Kenosha County Sheriff)
According to the criminal complaint, deputies from the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office responded to Malmstrom’s home on 116th Street in the Village of Bristol around 11:25 p.m. on May 25. Dispatch had advised that a juvenile female had been assaulted by her mother and was bleeding from the head, unable to speak or see.
When deputies arrived, they found the child, later identified as Malmstrom’s daughter, lying on the ground surrounded by teenagers and emergency responders. Witnesses said Malmstrom had been handing out alcohol, was herself intoxicated, and lashed out violently during an argument about noise in the house.
Multiple teens told investigators that Malmstrom struck her daughter in the head with a phone after the girl tried to push her away during a confrontation. One friend said the girl stumbled outside, fell to the ground, and began shaking before losing consciousness.
Despite the serious condition of the child, deputies noted that Malmstrom never came outside to check on her. When contacted by deputies inside the home, she reportedly asked, “And that’s my problem?” and at first refused to speak, claiming she had just gotten out of the shower.
She later gave a statement claiming she had acted in self-defense and struck her daughter only as a reflex while trying to push her away. Her account, deputies wrote, contradicted the statements of multiple teenage witnesses.
During the jail booking process, Malmstrom refused a breath test until staff informed her it was mandatory due to her probation status. She ultimately blew a 0.09 BAC — a violation — and admitted the phone “hit her in the head,” though she denied intending to cause harm.
At the time of the incident, Malmstrom was out on bond for a 2024 felony case involving another child abuse allegation. That bond strictly prohibited her from committing any new crimes.
When in court, Malmstrom attempted to hide from the camera — but she couldn’t hide from the jail’s. Her booking photo shows a woman not visibly injured.
If convicted of all charges with the repeater enhancements, Malmstrom faces more than 25 years in prison.
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12 Responses
Mother of the year over here
53 going on 73.
Sad looking 53.
Self inflicted hard life. And it shows
I wonder if it makes her feel superior beating on young children?? She does have another pending child abuse charge. Hopefully her child has a sensible family member to care for her….jeez!
This piece of trash belongs locked up and prevented from being around children for the rest of her life.
The kid was having a party at 14 lying about her age having sex with guys that are 17-20, and no that gives no right to hit the kid but, having sex with 5-10 people already is sad, having a bad homelife is not an excuse to be a whore.
You are what you eat!
facts, i used to be her friend and she’s a terrible person (no excuse for child abuse though)
The kid was having a party and cops had came 7 times and obviously the mom is going to be responsible and she has previous chargers, not saying she shouldve hit her in the head with a phone but, when a 14 year old girl has had sex with 5-10 and lies to people about her age and having sex with people that are 17-20 years old. the child posting sexually things on social media, its embarrassing to have a mom or daughter like that. Growing up with shitty parents is no excuse to be a whore or fail, dont ruin your life when your young.
Again, you are what you eat. People only know what they are taught.
Sad, I went to school with Joanna. She started drinking at a young age, she obviously needs some sort of rehabilitation. 🙏
Crazy what the stories are about the daughter, heard years ago she was 9 going on 15.
Unfortunately Joanna tried being more of a friend to her lying slutty daughter, rather than a parent. She felt guilty for missing certain things in her daughter’s life and her manipulative daughter used that guilt to get away with trying to run that household. I personally know both of them and I believe she was acting in self defense. Her daughter had multiple teenage boys and friends there to back her up and when Jo came out to ask them to quiet down because her elderly parents were sleeping inside, little miss “my shit don’t stink” Al*y, was the first to get physical and started pushing her mom telling her to go inside and “mind her business”. She’s a 14yr old CHILD who acts like she runs the household. She’s known for being disrespectful, selfish, and thinking she’s the boss. Very ungrateful child too. They are trying to make Jo look bad but ppl don’t know her and are only getting one DISTORTED side of the story.