A judge is facing a litany of threats after she released a Georgia day care worker accused of beating a 1-year-old boy and leaving the minor with a black-and-blue face.
Per the New York Post, the suspect, identified as Yvette Thurston, 54, was released on August 16 after posting a $44,000 bond. She has been charged with three counts of first-degree child abuse and one count of first-degree aggravated battery.
The alleged assault occurred at the Little Blessings Child Care in Bainbridge, and Thurston was arrested on August 11 after the 1-year-old boy’s family notified authorities about the minor’s injuries.
The minor’s father, Cory Weeks, ultimately took to Facebook to share photos of his son Clay’s injured face. Clay suffered visible injuries to his eye and other parts of his face.
Weeks said he was initially informed that his son suffered the injuries after another toddler used a plastic toy to hit him. But surveillance footage reviewed by Weeks and his wife allegedly showed Thurston assaulting their son.
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The judge who granted Thurston bond was identified as Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Rose-Emmons. And though Weeks commended the officials looking into the case, he said that he and his wife did not agree with the decision to release Thurston, the New York Post reported.
“I am aware that the woman that did this is no longer behind bars. Honestly, I was told this would likely happen because that is how our justice system works. Of course my wife and I do not agree with this, but we don’t get to ultimately make that decision. It is important that we all allow the investigators and legal system to thoroughly complete their responsibilities to achieve the result WE ALL WANT,” he wrote on Facebook.
Weeks also said his son was on the mend and “surrounded with love.”
Meanwhile, District Attorney Joe Mulholland, in a statement, said that their office won’t “tolerate” the threats Rose-Emmons was receiving.
“Our office will not tolerate abuse of the children in our community, who are entrusted to others for their safety while their parents work to make a living. Likewise, we will not tolerate threats against our judges, who are carrying out their sworn duty under the laws of the State of Georgia,” Mulholland said.
“Any individual who seeks to undermine the safety of our children or the integrity of our judicial system by making threats will be dealt with swiftly and harshly.”
“The rule of law is the foundation of our community. Our judges deserve to perform their duties without fear for their safety,” Mulholland added. “You may not like their decisions, but you don’t have the right to threaten them or their families. If you do, you will be prosecuted by my office to the full extent of the law.”
