Mukilteo woman pleads not guilty to abuse of girl

Published: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 12:01 a.m.

Mukilteo woman pleads not guilty to abuse of girl

Mary Mazalic, 34, is charged with first-degree assault of a child and criminal mistreatment.

EVERETT -- A Mukilteo woman accused of beating and starving a 10-year-old girl pleaded not guilty Tuesday to felony charges.

Mary Mazalic, 34, was charged Monday with first-degree assault of a child and first-degree criminal mistreatment. She faces more than 10 years in prison if convicted.

A shop owner last month notified Child Protective Services after the girl and Mazalic came into her store. Witnesses told authorities that the girl appeared emaciated and was shaking the entire time she followed Mazalic around the store, court papers said.

Mukilteo police immediately removed the girl from Mazalic's home. The girl weighed about 51 pounds -- that's about two-thirds the weight of a healthy child her age. She had several injuries consistent with abuse and neglect, prosecutors said.

The girl moved in with her brother and Mazalic, his girlfriend, about a year ago. The child told authorities that Mazalic whipped her with cords, burned her with cigarettes and made her wear diapers. The girl said she went days without food and when she complained about being hungry, Mazalic reportedly said, "Too bad."

The girl's mother, Genevieve Alexis, lives in New York. Her attorney, Adam Ballout, sent a statement to The Herald on Tuesday.

"The mother is shocked and taken aback by the recent disclosures made by her child. She remains committed to finding out exactly what happened and making sure responsible parties are brought to justice," Ballout wrote in an e-mail.

Mazalic remains behind bars in lieu of $500,000 bail.