Christian Circuit Judge John Atkins intends to try all four suspects charged in connection with alleged child abuse at the First United Methodist Church daycare together next month.
A hearing was held Friday morning for former pastor Paige Williams, who is charged with eight counts of complicity to criminal child abuse.
The indictment alleges she and former day care director Abby Leach “breached their legal duty to protect the minor children by failing to prevent former day care workers Allison Simpson and Nina Morgan from intentionally abusing children.” In each count, the victim is described as being under the age of 13 months old.”
Defense attorney Bill Deatherage expressed concern that the over 30 counts of abuse against Simpson could make it more difficult to defend Williams if they are tried together, but special prosecutor Blake Chambers explained Williams’ eight counts of complicity are related to the eight alleged victims in the case.
Judge Atkins told the lawyers it’s his intention for all or at least as many as possible of the defendants to be tried together on February 14.
Deatherage filed a motion to prevent any outside participation in the trial and told the judge he fears parents of the victims attempting to invoke Marsy’s Law as a way to participate in the trial.
Judge Atkins assured Deatherage that the trial will proceed normally and those parents and their attorneys will not be active participants in the trial.
Deatherage also asked for any medical records related to potential injury from abuse in the case and while some records have been turned over, Chambers explained the case will be more about alleged cruel confinement and punishment than injury.
Morgan is indicted for two counts of criminal child abuse and all of the alleged incidents happened in late 2018 and early 2019.