Police say Florida woman charged with branding her 2 children, wanted to mark them as her own

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – A southwest Florida woman is facing charges after authorities say she branded her two children with a heated stick.

The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office says 23-year-old Kayla R. Oxenham of Port Charlotte was arrested and charged with child neglect earlier this week. Officials say Oxenham heated a stick with a lighter and burned her children, ages 5 and 7, in order to mark them as her own. The woman reportedly promised the children ice cream after the burning.

Allegations of abuse were first reported in March to the Florida Department of Children and Families. The case was then turned over to the sheriff's office.

Online jail records list Oxenham's occupation as a medical assistant.

She was released on $15,000 bail Wednesday. The jail records didn't list an attorney.