Final Stone Mountain daycare abuse defendant pleads guilty
79-year-old daycare worker sentenced for child abuse
In a final act of accountability, 79-year-old Cherretta Hull pleaded guilty to 19 counts of child cruelty for the systematic abuse of infants as young as six months old at the Appletree Learning Center.
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - The final defendant charged in connection with alleged abuse at a Stone Mountain daycare center pleaded guilty on Monday to 19 counts of cruelty to children.
ORIGINAL STORY: DeKalb County daycare director, 2 employees charged in child abuse investigation
What we know:
Cherretta Hull, 79, was convicted by guilty plea and ordered to serve 30 years in prison with 20 years in confinement.
A DeKalb County grand jury indicted 79-year-old Cherretta Hull on 19 counts of first-degree cruelty to children. The charges stem from a June 2022 investigation involving alleged abuse of babies and toddlers at the Appletree Learning Center.
The backstory:
Investigators reviewed three days' worth of video surveillance, where they saw Hull pinching, slapping, and punching babies with a closed fist, according to the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office.
Recordings showed Hull slamming children onto changing tables, tossing them into cribs, dropping them on the ground, and forcefully picking them up by one arm and dangling them, officials said.
She continued the abusive behavior during mealtimes by aggressively shoving food and bottles into their mouths or hitting them with full milk bottles.
Cassandra Chambers, the daycare director and a co-defendant, watched the abuse on surveillance video and did not notify authorities. Under state law, daycare staff are considered "mandated reporters" and are required to report suspected abuse.
Prosecutors say a mother discovered injuries on her child's face and contacted police, prompting the investigation. Hull and three other daycare workers were accused in the case.
The three remaining defendants previously pleaded guilty to multiple charges in August 2024. The charges are tied to 13 victims who range from 6 months old to almost three years old.
What they're saying:
The sentencing followed the presentation of surveillance video from June 2022 that prosecutors described as a "repeated pattern of behavior" rather than an isolated incident. The footage showed Hull striking a toddler in the head, pulling a child by the arms, and hitting a child with a milk bottle.
"It's another thing to see it with your own eyes," the prosecutor said. "I referred to the daycare before as a 'house of horrors.' That is exactly what it was, and I stand by that."
State prosecutors noted the charges involved eight victims, the youngest being 6 months old. Officials added they believe there may be additional victims. Prosecutors expressed deep concern for the long-term well-being of the children involved.
Cheretta Hull was sentenced to jail after pleading guilty to 19 counts of child cruelty. (Photo: DeKalb County Sheriff's Office)
"These children will carry emotional, psychological, and physical [scars]," the prosecutor said. "It will forward into adolescence, adulthood, and it's going to affect relationships and circumstances in their life that they haven't even encountered yet."
Parents provided emotional testimony regarding the lasting impact of the abuse. One mother told the court her son suffered a concussion that resulted in developmental delays and the need for an Individualized Education Program.
"Due to the concussion she caused, my child has his own delays, not potty trained and he's on IEP before going to Pre-K," the mother said. "I can't work full-time because I can't trust daycare with my child, who now has special needs."
The other side:
Hull remained quiet throughout the hearing. Her defense attorneys requested leniency based on her age, health, and lack of a prior criminal record.
"They saw the videos just now, and they are here today," the defense said of Hull’s family. "They support her still; her family supports her still."