ST. PETERSBURG — A woman was arrested Saturday using what police described as a Taser on her 3-year-old nephew's arm.

Ramona Braswell, 30, of St. Petersburg, has been charged with child abuse, a felony, for intentionally touching the boy with a Taser and "causing visible injuries," according to an arrest report. Initial reports indicated she was the boy's mother. The incident occurred about 4:15 p.m. Saturday at 2820 5th Street S.

The boy's mother called authorities after "she heard her son cry out" from the living room of the home, according to St. Petersburg police. The woman had been in another room, and she told officers that when she went to check on her child, her sister was standing near him, holding a Taser and laughing.

The woman's son "immediately told her that his aunt had shocked (him) on the arm and that it hurt" according to police. "Braswell denied touching the child with the Taser, but marks left on his left arm confirmed that contact had been made with his skin."

Braswell told officers she did not shock the boy but had activated the stun gun and at one point held the handle of the Taser to his arm, not the electrodes. "She said the Taser belonged to a friend and she was just 'playing'" with it, police reported.

Her bail was set at $5,000 and she was released on bond Saturday night.