The founder of a South Georgia private academy was sentenced Wednesday after being indicted on nine charges of cruelty to children in the first degree involving students at her school.
Superior Court Judge Brian McDaniel sentenced Linda Terrell McLean to a suspended five-year prison sentence and 10 years probation for those nine counts of cruelty against students at her now-closed school Favor Christian Academy in Thomasville, according to the Times Enterprise.
»MORE: Georgia private school owner pleads guilty to choking, beating students
The educator had been accused of forcing a child to lie across a chair with his pants down while students pinned him down and struck him with a yardstick, according to a Times Enterprise report. Students also reported McLean threw workbooks at them and choked them at times.
McLean was accused of assaulting eight Favor Christian Academy students in 2015 and 2016, according to a previous Atlanta Journal-Constitution report. In 2017, she was indicted on 18 charges, including 11 counts of first-degree child cruelty and four counts of aggravated assault. She pleaded guilty to all nine counts in September.
The judge sentenced McLean to five years in prison on one cruelty count and suspended the prison sentence to probation if McLean complies with all probation conditions.
McLean was also sentenced to 10 years of probation on each of eight cruelty counts, which are to be served concurrently. The sentence included a $4,000 fine and 160 hours of community service.
McDaniel said during the sentencing he was sent 138 letters of support for McLean, along with state and defense reports.
Prosecutor Catherine Smith said she had viewed more than 1,500 hours of video from the school showing McLean's acts of cruelty.
“I had no doubt there would be a large amount of support from the community for her today,” Smith told the judge prior to the sentencing. “Your honor, all I ask is justice for the child victims.”
About the Author
