An indictment for murder was returned by a Christian County Grand Jury Friday, along with superseding indictments against two of the suspects facing charges in the First United Methodist Church daycare abuse case.
Indicted for first-degree murder is Kachelle Isbell of Hopkinsville, who is accused in the April 3 shooting death of 33-year old Anthony Johnson in the 1500 block of College Street. Isbell is lodged in the Christian County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
Superseding indictments were returned against former First United Methodist Reverend Paige Williams and former daycare director Abby Leach—they were both previously charged with only one count of complicity to child abuse, but now they’re indicted on eight counts each of complicity to criminal child abuse against children under the age 12. The indictments allege they “breached their legal duty to protect the minor children by failing to prevent Alison Simpson and or Nina Cook from intentionally abusing” those children. In each count, the victim is described as being under the age of 13 months old.
All of the counts allege Simpson placed the victims “in a situation that may cause serious physical injury, causing torture, cruel confinement or cruel punishment.” A fourth suspect, former daycare worker Nina Morgan, is charged with two-counts of criminal child abuse.
The grand jury indicted 35-year old Shequita Buckner of Hopkinsville with first-degree assault, in connection with the March shooting on Kenwood Drive where she allegedly shot a female victim in the arm with a handgun.