Georgia mother sentenced to 40 years after child abuse revealed by teacher report — Photo: #post_seo_title

A Cherokee County teacher’s report exposed years of abuse that led to a conviction and maximum sentence.

CANTON, GA – A Cherokee County jury has convicted a 35-year-old mother of aggravated assault and cruelty to children after a child disclosed years of abuse to an elementary school teacher, prompting an investigation that uncovered repeated violence and injuries. Candice McClure, of Lenox, was sentenced to 40 years in prison following a four-day trial, according to the Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office.

Prosecutors said the abuse spanned nearly a decade and came to light in 2023 when the child told a teacher about being kicked, punched, choked, and struck with a belt. The disclosure triggered a report that led to a joint investigation by the Division of Family & Children Services and the Canton Police Department.

Teacher report led to investigation

“The schoolteachers are the heroes in this case,” said Cherokee County District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway. “They recognized the signs of abuse and created a safe place for the child to come forward,” Treadaway said.

According to the DA’s office, “A Cherokee County elementary school teacher reported child abuse concerns involving a student in her class.” The office said, “The student had disclosed to the teacher that McClure had kicked and punched the child’s legs, and ‘choked’ the child with her hands.”

DFCS workers conducted an unannounced visit to McClure’s home, where an employee documented bruising on the child’s leg and a patterned injury on the forehead. Medical providers later examined the child at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

“The child was transported to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, where medical providers documented significant bruising on the legs, as well as a patterned injury on the forehead consistent with being struck by a belt,” the DA’s office said.

Evidence presented during trial

During the trial, jurors heard from more than a dozen witnesses, including the child, family members, law enforcement, medical professionals, and child advocacy experts. Prosecutors introduced 20 exhibits, including a recorded forensic interview, photographs of injuries, and school documentation.

The DA’s office stated the child later participated in a forensic interview and provided further details, adding, “The family was new to Cherokee County, and we believe the abuse had been ongoing before the family arrived.”

Jurors deliberated for approximately two and a half hours before returning a guilty verdict.

Prosecutors also referenced a prior case involving the same child in 2016. “At trial and during sentencing, the state referenced the defendant’s prior difficulties, including medical evidence and photographs documenting injuries to the same child in another county in 2016,” the DA’s office said. “The child was 4 years old at that time.”

Sentencing and victim impact

At sentencing, the child delivered a victim impact statement with support from an adoptive parent, a victim advocate, and a service dog. “The child expressed appreciation for being ‘heard’ by the jury and told the defendant that no one deserves to be treated in that manner,” the DA’s office said.

Treadaway described the case in stark terms, stating, “Instead of protecting her own child, the defendant repeatedly inflicted abuse that caused lasting harm.” She added, “This conviction and sentence send a clear message that Cherokee County will not tolerate the abuse of children and will hold offenders accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

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