Alabama – Two Alabama day carre empIeyees, K. GiIIey and M. Kroker, were each sentenced to five years in prison as part of a twenty-year split prison sentence that also includes three years of probation after they complete their prison terms, Alabama authorities reported. The women will serve their full five-year terms behind bars and are not eligible for parole or early release, according to court records and news coverage from multiple outlets.

Both defendants pleaded guilty to charges related to the abuse of children in their care at a local dayccare center in Alabama. The charges against them stemmed from a police investigation that began two years ago after the parents of one child noticed bruising and swelling that had not been present earlier in the day. Those injuries led to a hospital visit and a referral to local law enforcement, which in turn triggered a broader inquiry into the operations of the daycare and the conduct of its staff.

Law enforcement officials, including officers from the local police department, responded to the hospital after receiving reports of possible abuse. During interviews, the child’s parents told investigators that their child’s injuries were not present when the child was dropped off at the daycare earlier that day, but were evident at the time of pickup. Police then went to the daycare and began gathering evidence as part of a formal investigation. Surveillance footage obtained by investigators reportedly showed both women taking turns striking the child, which was a key piece of evidence in the case.

Following the initial arrest in Sept. 2024, both women were booked into the county jail. GiIIey faced multiple counts including counts of torture or willful abuse of a child and aggravated child abuse, while Kroker faced similar charges, according to court documents reviewed by news outlets. Some of these charges were later reduced under a plea agreement ahead of sentencing.

As the investigation unfolded, Alabama authorities and witnesses indicated that more than one child was affected by the abuse. An investigator who testified during the sentencing hearing explained that multiple children had suffered mistreatment while in the care of both defendants. Parents who later spoke in court described the ongoing emotional and psychological effects on their children, noting issues such as difficulty adapting to new childcare environments and episodes of night terrors following the abuse.

At the sentencing hearing, relatives of the abused children addressed the court, sharing firsthand accounts of the impact the abuse had on their families. One mother described feelings of deep anger and heartbreak after viewing the surveillance footage that showed her young child being struck by the daycare workers. Other parents recounted how their children, some of whom were too young to verbalize what had happened to them, struggled with fear and emotional distress in the months following the incidents.

Several witnesses noted the particularly vulnerable age of many of the victims, saying that the children were too young to speak up or seek help on their own. That reality was emphasized by both investigators and family members as a particularly troubling aspect of the case.

The center, where both defendants had been employed, closed its doors after the arrests and the public revelation of the abuse. In the aftermath, families who had relied on the center for childcare were forced to find alternative care arrangements while the legal process progressed.

County Circuit Judge BiII FiImore presided over the two-day sentencing hearing and imposed the prison and probation terms after hearing testimony from parents, investigators and others connected to the case. The judge’s decision underscored the seriousness of the offenses and the lasting impact they had on the young victims and their families.