A former preschool worker who molested several children at an afternoon day care in Jackson County pleaded guilty to a host of charges and was sentenced Monday to life in prison.
Alexander Tredway, 18, was arrested in January after a parent contacted the day care regarding “something concerning” their child said about the teacher.
He initially faced five felonies: two counts of child molestation, two counts of child cruelty and one count of sodomy. But investigators brought additional charges after learning there were at least three other victims at the Bright Beginnings day care in Jefferson.
“The police uncovered in their investigation that the situation was a lot more horrific than what was stated in the original allegation,” school officials wrote in a since deleted Facebook post.
Authorities determined there were five victims ranging in age from 4 to 7, said Assistant District Attorney James Chafin, the lead prosecutor on the case.
Tredway, who started working at the day care in the fall of 2021, pleaded guilty to 12 charges, including aggravated sodomy, child molestation and cruelty to children. Several of the children’s parents and grandparents gave victim impact statements at Tredway’s sentencing.
“Our kids are taught to trust their teachers,” said Chafin, calling the abuse vile. “He was their teacher and he violated that trust. We’re glad that justice has been served. Hopefully these children can move forward.”
A judge sentenced Tredway to life in prison with the possibility of parole, plus an additional 20 years. Five of those 20 years must be served in confinement, meaning he won’t be eligible for parole for at least three decades.
The day care said in January that Tredway passed a background check before being hired and that he previously worked at another day care.
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