Final sentencing was held Wednesday morning in Christian Circuit Court for Deshayla Day, the former First Baptist Church Daycare employee who recently entered a guilty plea to criminal child abuse.
Day appeared before Judge John Atkins alongside defense attorney Jason Holland, who says that Day feels real regret for her actions in 2022 against children in the daycare. He says that his client has given her best efforts in changing for the better, and she’s has achieved that.
A victim impact statement from the mother of a victim was read in court, saying her child is now deeply mistrustful of anyone who isn’t family and he suffered more than just physically.
Day had entered a guilty plea to two counts of first-degree criminal abuse against a victim under 12-years of age for her role in the abuse of a toddler while employed at the First Baptist Church Daycare in 2022. That plea came with a recommended five-year sentence and the Commonwealth was neutral on probation.
Ultimately, Judge Atkins ruled that Day would not be incarcerated, but she must serve a strict home incarceration for six months.
Day was seen on video lifting the then 16-month-old child by one arm to remove them from a classroom and into the hallway, and ‘firmly grabbed the child by the face’ during another incident that was captured on video.