Catoosa County man convicted of beating, sexually abusing 9-year-old
Christopher Lee McClure was convicted on eight counts, including aggravated sodomy and child molestation, for physically and sexually abusing a 9-year-old child in Catoosa County. (Credit: Catoosa County Sheriff's Office)
CATOOSA COUNTY, Ga. - A 42-year-old man has been sentenced after being convicted of physically and sexually abusing a 9-year-old child, according to the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office.
What we know:
A Catoosa County jury convicted 42-year-old Christopher Lee McClure on Sept. 24 following a four-day trial. The jury returned guilty verdicts on an eight-count indictment that included aggravated sodomy, aggravated child molestation, first-degree cruelty to children and aggravated assault after deliberating for less than an hour, according to the district attorney's office.
Following the verdict, a judge imposed the maximum allowable penalty under Georgia law: two consecutive life sentences, followed consecutively by 110 years in prison and 20 years of sex offender probation.
Prosecutors said the case originated when a Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office detective launched an investigation into reports of physical abuse after multiple witnesses observed unexplained facial bruises on the child. After investigators intervened, the child disclosed repeated sexual abuse, prompting the detective to collect medical evidence corroborating the claims.
Evidence presented during the trial showed McClure subjected the child to years of severe abuse, including striking the child in the head with a broomstick to cause a laceration and strangling the child to near-unconsciousness, the district attorney's office said in a news release.
Prosecutors presented injury photographs, witness testimony and expert medical findings as evidence for both the physical and sexual trauma. During sentencing, Wolfe emphasized that McClure exhibited no remorse and posed a severe danger if ever released back into society.
What we don't know:
Authorities did not disclose the relationship between McClure and the 9-year-old or did not identify the child.
The Source: Information in this article was gathered from an official press release issued by Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office.