A senior pastor at a Hopkinsville church and the former director of the church daycare were indicted last week with first degree complicity to criminal abuse.
The indictments allege Paige Williams and Abby Leach of First United Methodist Church failed to protect seven children--all under 13 months old--from former daycare worker Allison Simpson.
Commonwealth attorney Richard Boling said Simpson allegedly engaged in intentional and wanton conduct toward the children in her care. He said the conduct could be construed as cruel punishment.
“The allegations are that she used her hand to assault the children, that she had them in various apparatuses and would bounce them to where you could see their heads shaking, as well as push each other onto the floor. Just various conduct all captured on video,” Boling said.
The indictment said Simpson placed the children in situations that could cause serious injury and torture. She was indicted in April on two counts of wanton endangerment and one count of criminal abuse for children under 12 years of age. Boling said Simpson’s indictment may be superseded in the next 60 days to include the additional counts of conduct.
