NATCHEZ — A Circuit Court Judge Thursday denied a request to lower the bond of the woman accused of fracturing the skull of a 23-month-old girl.

Shalae M. Lewis, 32, pleaded not guilty to felony child abuse charges and Judge Forrest “Al” Johnson denied a request to lower her bond from $500,000.Defense attorney Kevin Colbert said he was not asking for no bond, but a more reasonable bond that Lewis could potentially make. Colbert said he did not believe she was a flight risk or a danger to the community, as she is under an order to stay away from her children.

Assistant District Attorney Tim Cotton said Lewis is a flight risk, as her mother lives in Louisiana and Cotton said she could attempt to return to her family home.

Cotton said he thinks Lewis is also a danger to the community. Cotton said in a voluntary statement Lewis admitted to having anger issues and that she needed counseling.

In the statement, Lewis apologized for her actions and said she had been having issues with the girl’s father about him stepping up and being a father, Cotton said.

In addition to anger issues, Cotton said the extent of the injuries to the child showcase that Lewis does pose a danger. Cotton had a doctor from Blair E. Baston Children’s Hospital, where the child was originally on life support, ready to testify at the bond hearing.

While Johnson did not allow the doctor to testify, he allowed Cotton to enter a proctor of the doctor’s testimony.

Cotton said the child suffered severe head trauma, a fractured skull, old and new burns to the second degree, bruises from old injuries that were healing, bruises from new injuries, broken ribs and a lacerated liver.

Colbert said he would not dispute the doctor’s findings of the severity of the injuries, but he said the doctor could not testify the cause of the injuries and with the court order keeping Lewis away from her children, he didn’t think the doctor would testify Lewis was a danger to people outside her family,

Cotton said two witnesses wrote statements claiming to have seen Lewis punch the child with a closed fist, push the child down and throw the child. One of the witnesses also saw Lewis allegedly pour boiling water on the child.

The second witness reportedly saw the child on the ground bleeding and having seizures.

Cotton said in municipal court, Lewis had already received one bond reduction from $1 million to $500,000, and he said the state was against any further bond reduction for Lewis.

Johnson set a jury trial for 9 a.m. Aug. 22.