A 35‑year‑old Georgia mother, Candice McClure of Lenox, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after repeatedly abusing her own child, including beating their legs, choking them, and flogging their forehead with a belt over nearly a decade.
What the abuse involved
- The child disclosed to an elementary‑school teacher in Cherokee County that McClure had kicked and punched their legs, choked them with her hands, and repeatedly struck their forehead with a belt, leaving a clear “patterned injury.”
- A DFCS (Division of Family & Children Services) visit and medical exam at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta confirmed significant bruising on the legs and belt‑like marks on the head, matching the child’s description.
Legal case and sentencing
- McClure was convicted of aggravated assault and cruelty to children after a four‑day trial; prosecutors presented 20 exhibits, including a recorded forensic interview, photos of injuries, and school records.
- The jury heard that the abuse had lasted about 10 years and that McClure had been arrested in 2016 on child‑cruelty charges after the same child arrived at a medical center twice that year with unexplained bruises “from head to toe.”
Teachers’ role and victim’s impact
- Cherokee County District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway credited the teachers as “heroes” for recognizing the signs of abuse and creating a safe space for the child to speak up.
- At sentencing, the child read a victim impact statement with an adoptive parent, a victim advocate, and a service dog, saying no one deserves to be treated that way; the judge acknowledged the trauma and imposed the maximum 40‑year sentence allowed under Georgia law.
