The sentencing phase came to a close with the judge imposing a sentence on Nina Morgan and the jury recommended a sentence on some of the charges against Allison Simpson, the former First United Methodist Church daycare employees.
The jury was unable to come to a unanimous decision on a sentence for Morgan for one count of third-degree criminal child abuse, so Judge John Atkins had to make a ruling and chose a sentence of one-year in prison, but will allow for defense attorney Michael Thompson to argue against it at a hearing on July 13.
Several victim impact statements were made by the parents of the young victims, including one parent who says her now four-year-old is often frightened due to the abuse that was suffered, and is already showing signs of anxiety.
Another says Simpson never showed remorse for her actions, and deserves the maximum sentence for the 12 counts of first-degree criminal abuse and three-counts second degree criminal abuse she was found guilty of.
Simpson was also found guilty of 12 counts of third-degree criminal child abuse, which are misdemeanors, and the jury chose a sentence of six-months in prison on each of those counts. They also recommended one year on each second-degree charge, with those running concurrently for a total of one year.
Ultimately, the jury was unable to come to a unanimous decision for a sentence on the first-degree charges, with Judge Atkins setting a sentencing hearing for July 13, when he will then make a decision on the length of sentence for Simpson.
Former daycare director Abby Leach and former pastor Paige Williams are scheduled to go to trial in August for allegedly breaching their duties to protect the children.