Columbia mother pleads not guilty to child abuse

A Columbia woman pleaded not guilty to charges of child abuse or neglect in court Friday.

This comes two days after Anna Steele’s charges were reduced from murder.

Steele allegedly allowed her then-boyfriend Cody Baker to take care of her child despite beliefs Baker abused her.

The baby died in February 2014 after apparently being hit in the head with a blunt object.

Baker pleaded not guilty to murder in Boone County court last May.